


Lizzie Bennet: An Unexpected Pregnancy

by RavioliRavioli



Category: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genre: F/M, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-22
Updated: 2014-12-12
Packaged: 2017-12-09 04:16:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 42
Words: 143,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/769878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavioliRavioli/pseuds/RavioliRavioli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>LBD. Lizzie and Darcy eventually begin dating and guess who gets knocked up shortly thereafter? Not smutty this time around, sorry guys (maybe like a dash lol, but the focus will be on her pregnancy's effects on the characters rather than the baby-making itself). Begins after Episode 80 and then it begins to deviate from the plot more and more until it's its own world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lunch Date

**So apparently I began writing this fic after Episode 80 and forgot all about it. I was going through my documents and saw something titled 'LBD Fanfic' and it was this! Lol. I'm super late now! I'm not gonna make it too smutty (maybe just a smidgen), I just think that an unplanned pregnancy in LBD would be the most hilarious/shocking thing ever. Worse than Lydia's tape amiright? :P**

**Also, my writing is not exactly proper. English was never my favorite subject but I like telling stories, so hopefully you like my story much better than my writing. Don't be afraid to correct me! I'm open to criticism and suggestions. I won't be offended! ENJOY!  
**

* * *

"Do you think Bing still cares about Jane?", Lizzie asked Darcy with genuine curiosity. Darcy took off the newsie hat, insinuating that costume theater was over, and told Lizzie, "I think… you should ask him…" while looking deep into her eyes. Lizzie was mesmerized by his penetrating stare until she looked away.

He left shortly afterwards and Lizzie was left to ponder what the hell that last bit was all about. She felt something stir within her that had nothing to do with Bing or Jane. She quickly turned off the camera and decided to put the conversation out of her mind for the time being. It was already weird enough when they were together, she didn't want to think about these strange, mixed feelings while he wasn't around.

* * *

On her commute to her temporary abode (the house that she was sitting for Dr. Gardiner's relative), she thought long and hard about telling Jane that she saw Bing. She really wanted to, but she was afraid that it might hurt her more than help her. _"No,"_ Lizzie thought, _"I'm not going to tell her. Bing needs to man up and find out if Jane still has feelings for him. Oh, who am I kidding, of course she does! And they would be so perfect for each other… Maybe not. New Jane might not put up with Bing's inability to make up his own mind… Ugh. Nope. I'm not going to meddle!"_

The next day Lizzie was in her office during lunch, when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" , she said as she looked up to find Darcy walking in and shutting the door behind him.

"Good afternoon, Lizzie. How are you doing?", Darcy asked, while gazing at her eyes with that enchanting look of his. Lizzie was at a loss for words. She really wasn't expecting to see him again so soon. Usually it's every couple of days that she runs into him somehow (Gigi and Fitz have let them off the hook a little with their scheming).

She finally responded, "Oh, hey. I'm… uh great. Just eating lunch here. Gotta finish typing up some notes for my report. Did you need something?". He gestured towards the bench in front of her desk, asking for permission to sit. She nodded while cleaning up some her food and waited for him to begin speaking.

"I told Bing that I may not have been fully informed in my suggestion concerning Jane's affections towards him. I told him that he should try to contact her while he is in L.A. I also acquired her email and sent a very lengthy explanation of my intentions. Bing really hasn't been the same since we left Netherfield and well, I figured I would own up to my mistakes.", said Darcy really fast, all in one breath.

Lizzie stared at him and thought to herself, _"Well guess that cat's outta the bag. I don't have to meddle after all."_ Before she can reply to Darcy's confession, Lizzie's phone starts vibrating and her screen lights up to show Jane's picture. "Looks like your work has not gone unnoticed.", she said to Darcy with a slight smirk.

Darcy replied, "I'll leave you to your phone call. Have a nice day, Lizzie.", and exited the room.

 _"Was she smiling at me just now? Did she agree that I did the right thing? Hopefully whatever Jane has to say isn't too bad. I kind of got the feeling that Lizzie was starting to despise me less, or at least tolerate my company more or less.",_ Darcy thought to himself on the way back to his office.

* * *

Meanwhile, Jane gushed to Lizzie about Bing's phone call in the middle of the night last night (Of course Jane was too polite to wake Lizzie up. She decided to wait for a time when she knew Lizzie was available). Jane told Lizzie about how Bing cried and how he told her how much he missed her. And how guilty he felt. He asked if he could see her in person and apologize to her. Jane agreed only because she wanted to yell at him (in a Jane Bennet way of course).

He showed up at her apartment and was practically begging at her feet. He looked like a lost puppy that had finally been found when she let him in. They talked for hours like they used to and he looked so genuinely sorry that Jane decided to start over with him. She was in a new city, she had a new job and she had grown since they last saw each other, so they needed to start from scratch.

Jane told Lizzie they spent the night catching up and remembering what they missed about each other. Jane was a very happy camper, to say the least. "But Bing and I have decided to take this very slow. I'm busy with my job and he's going back to med school shortly, so we aren't going to be seeing a lot of each other. What do you think, Lizzie? Is this a good idea?", Jane asked with uncertainty in her voice.

Lizzie answered with a sigh, "Do what makes you happy Jane. I believe Bing's a good guy and you deserve to be happy. If he does that for you then by all means go for it." She could practically hear Jane's smile over the phone.

"Thanks Lizzie... Oh, I almost forgot. I received a very long email from Darcy. He seems really sorry, too. If you see him around, Lizzie, don't be too hard on him. Things happen for a reason.", said Jane with forgiveness practically dripping through the phone.

"Yeah, yeah.", said Lizzie. She was glad at least one of the Bennet women were happy now.

She hadn't spoken to Lydia since their fight and forgot to ask Jane about her. Lydia told her not to watch her videos and Lizzie was expertly avoiding Lydia on all social media. She couldn't bear to watch Lydia be so reckless. She really did have the best intentions. This, paired with conflicting feelings about Darcy and graduating from college with no idea what she was going to do afterward, really didn't place her in a happy spot either.

* * *

Lizzie decided to give Darcy a pat on the back. She was happy that Jane was happy again. Not that Bing was the sole source of Jane's joy, but he had become a significant portion of it. Darcy mended his mistakes. Proving to Lizzie once again that she may have been wrong about him. _May._ _"It just doesn't add up. He's nice, generous, considerate, everybody here at Pemberley Digital loves him… I don't understand how this can be the same man that insulted me…"_ , Lizzie thought to herself while she walked to Darcy's office.

She knocked softly; suddenly intimidated by the big door separating them and by the fact that she was here to pay him a compliment, of all things.

"You may enter.", said Darcy absent-mindedly, while typing away at his computer and taking a sip of the gourmet coffee from his favorite Pemberley Digital mug. He did a double take as Lizzie entered his office. He was definitely not expecting her. He thought she'd be angry with him for not letting her be the one to speak to Bing. He looked at her and absorbed her image for as long as he could before she addressed him.

She looked amazing as always. She was wearing fitted black slacks with a dark blue button-up shirt _. "She looks shorter than she did yesterday…",_ Darcy noticed as he looked down to her feet . _"Ahh no heels today."_ She had her hair down today as well. " _How I long to feel those strands between my fingers… Her hair must be as soft as it looks…",_ Darcy's thoughts trailed off.

"Hey Darcy, I uh... wanted to say thanks for telling Bing about Jane…" Lizzie said, followed by about 30 seconds of awkward silence. Darcy gazed at her incredulously. He honestly thought she would curse him out or declare her leave of Pemberley or something.

"It was nothing to warrant thanks. It was my duty. I was part of the problem…" Darcy finally responded. Lizzie stepped forward unconsciously as if being pulled in, towards Darcy's eyes.

Darcy's door just burst open, without so much as a courtesy knock, and in entered Gigi. She was all smiles as soon as she saw Lizzie standing there.

"Lizzie! How great that you're here! Will and I had a late lunch date and you should so join us! It'll be fun. We haven't hung out in a while! Come onnn!" , Gigi rambled and grabbed Lizzie's arm. "Come on, Will! I'm starving.", she said exasperatedly at her older brother.

He looked at Lizzie to gauge her reaction to Gigi's impromptu lunch invitation. Lizzie looked at Darcy and shrugged. Not like she had much of a choice anyway.

* * *

They didn't go anywhere too fancy; just a local pizza parlor a few blocks away from Pemberley's main building. Lizzie liked the short walk. She was in between Darcy and Gigi and she was very conscious of the fact Darcy's right hand would sometimes brush against her left hand while walking. They sat in a booth; the girls on one side and Darcy on the other. Gigi sat on the edge, locking Lizzie in, with no escape. She was facing Darcy who was kind of smiling.

 _"For someone who once said smiling contorts the face, he does do it quite attractively",_ noted Lizzie to herself.

Gigi ordered a large supreme pizza and a big bowl of salad for the three of them. "I already ate, I'm really not that hungry guys.", announced Lizzie after Gigi ordered.

"I saw what you had for lunch and if I had consumed only a cup of coffee and a couple of biscottis for lunch I'd be starving by now.", declared Darcy with a smirk. Lizzie blushed a little at the fact that he noticed and remembered what she had eaten when he went to tell her about Bing.

Gigi said, "That settles it! The pizza here is great. Your mouth will be watering by the time it arrives."

Lizzie didn't know what to say so she just smiled. Gigi remained at the table for a good five minutes debating whether or not they should have gotten thin crust instead of regular, when her phone rang and she said it was "Super important." Both Lizzie and Darcy chuckled, blushed a little, and then locked eyes simultaneously.

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "So… I take it Jane was happy with my actions? I received a short email from her. Bing also called me and sounded very much like the old Bing."

Lizzie said, "Yeah. Thanks again." An awkward break in the conversation and Lizzie felt it was her turn to say something. "So... do you and Gigi come here often?", she asked Darcy, who was staring at her again.

"Every once in a while. It's nice and quiet. The food is good. I don't eat junk food often but when I do I make sure it's top notch.", he said laughing a little at the end.

Lizzie scoffed, "You think pizza is junk food? We're going to wait 20 minutes for a pizza made with fresh, quality ingredients. How in the world is it junk food, Darcy?" They were discussing the definition of junk foods and their effects on the body when Gigi returned. She was not very happy with the topic of conversation so she tried her best to shift it in the right direction.

* * *

"So, Lizzie. Don't you get bored at your place? You're, like, all alone over there! You should definitely come over this weekend and sleep over with me!", Gigi suggested.

" _Oh no. No way. Gigi is definitely up to something…",_ Lizzie thought as she tried to find a way to turn Gigi down nicely.

"Not really. I get home pretty tired. And after dinner and Skype-ing everyone and getting ready for bed, I'm pretty beat. I don't have time to be bored.", Lizzie joked.

Gigi pouted. "Well, I get bored! Come on! You can sleep over Saturday night and we can stay up watching period romances and eating chocolate! I'm not plotting anything, I swear. Apart from dinner that night and breakfast and lunch the next day, you probably won't even see William. It'll be a girl's weekend! Pleaseeeeee!", Gigi begged.

 _"Hmmm… I do get pretty bored. And I haven't had movie night since before I stopped talking to Lyd-"_ , she stopped her train of thought. "Oh, what the heck. As long as you and Fitz are not trying to put Darcy and I in another awkward situation (she shared a knowing look with Darcy as she said that), I'm down. Haven't had a girl's night in forever.", Lizzie smiled as she agreed to stay over Gigi's house.

"We are going to have so much fun! I'll pick out the movies tonight and I'll pick you up on Saturday night for dinner at our house! Anddd we can play tennis on Sunday after breakfast! Oh this is going to be so much fun!", Gigi jumped up and down in her seat. Lizzie and Darcy both rolled their eyes and chuckled. Little did they know, Gigi _was_ plotting... just a little. She couldn't let this golden opportunity pass her by.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. Let me know if you're interested by reviewing! ;)**


	2. Sleeping Beauty

**Enjoy! Big thanks to** **FF user SOLYAHU who inspired the majority of this chapter. She's awesome! :D**

* * *

Saturday finally arrived, and Lizzie woke up strangely excited to go spend the weekend with the Darcys. She attributed that feeling to the fact that she hadn't really hung out with anyone since she arrived in San Francisco, and not to the fact that she was really curious about seeing how Darcy behaved in his own environment. _"Does he wear suspenders at home? Or does he have actual comfortable clothes like sweats or shorts? Hmm… guess we'll see… Wait, why do I even care? Ugh. Whatever."_ , Lizzie pondered as she stepped into the shower.

The Darcys also awoke feeling different. Gigi was beyond excited and hoped that Lizzie and Darcy would finally fall in love. _"Hopefully with my help, that will happen in no time.",_ she thought to herself as she smiled knowingly.

Darcy on the other hand, was not as excited. Sure, he was glad that Lizzie was coming to visit, but he knew she was only coming because of Gigi, and he was anxious about whether or not she would like their home. _"I shouldn't get too worked up over this. She's not coming to visit me; she's coming to spend time with Gigi. I can't help but imagine a day when she'll show up at our doorstep to come see me…"._ He shook his head to get rid of those thoughts, because he thought they would never come true.

* * *

Gigi needed to put her plans into action. She had someone at Pemberly Digital schedule a spur-of-the-moment meeting and send out an email about it (His name rhymes with Ritz Billiams). Darcy had already eaten, and was reading the news on his iPad, when Gigi arrived in the kitchen. She had put her phone on the dining table while she fixed herself a bowl of cereal and some slices of fruit for breakfast.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her phone light up on the table. It was a notification of an email from Pemberley Digital. "Gigi, you have an email from the company.", Darcy said as he went back to reading his newspaper.

Gigi smiled. "I'm kind of busy over here, William. Can you read it to me?", she said, knowing exactly what the contents of the email would be.

He put down his iPad and swiped the lock screen on Gigi's iPhone. "It says: 'As part of the Graphic Design team working on the new advertisement for one of our investor's projects, you are invited to a get-together at the Pemberley offices this afternoon from 4pm to 7pm. We will be reviewing the final draft of the ad and then refreshments will be served.' Hmm… I don't remember seeing this…", Darcy said.

Gigi quickly answered, "You can't know _everything_ that's going on, William. Especially in the graphics department. That's definitely far from your division."

Darcy nodded in agreement and said, "I suppose. But aren't you picking Lizzie up at 6?". Gigi faked a surprised look.

"Oh my gosh, that's right! William, I don't want to cancel! I was really looking forward to this! Can you pleaseeee go pick her up? And then I'll try to weasel out of the meeting early?", Gigi pleaded.

Darcy sighed and shook his head. "No, Gigi. Lizzie was expecting _you_. She's going to think you're trying to throw us together again and she'll reject your next invitation.", Darcy replied.

Gigi frowned. "Fine. I'll call her and ask if she'd mind. If she doesn't care, will you go?", Gigi asked. Darcy nodded yes.

* * *

As Lizzie was eating, her phone buzzed. 'Gigi Darcy', it said. Lizzie picked up excitedly, "Hey, Gigi!"

Gigi greeted Lizzie and proceeded to explain the situation. "Please let William pick you up! I was really looking forward to this! I can't decline because if I don't show up, the employees will think I don't care about the project. I'll be out of there as soon as possible, I promise!", Gigi said over the phone.

Lizzie sighed. She was curious to see Darcy still and it sounded like a legit excuse, so she said yes. Darcy would be at her door at 6pm. Gigi laughed like a maniacal genius in her head. Her goal to get Darcy and Lizzie alone together was well on its way.

* * *

Lizzie's doorbell rang at 6pm on the dot. Punctuality was one of William Darcy's most prominent characteristics. The truth is, he'd actually arrived ten minutes ago but he didn't want to seem too eager and freak her out, so he waited in his car until the time was right. Lizzie ran to open the door. But before she did, she unconsciously smoothed down her hair.

Lizzie's hair was down; pulled back by a gold headband Jane had given her years ago. She had on little pearl earrings and she had even applied a little make up. She was wearing a white v-neck t shirt with a white cardigan sprinkled with little gold, glitter-like dust all over. She had on some black skinny jeans and some cute gold flats (thanks again, Jane).

She opened the door and there was Darcy, without a suit! He wore a white v-neck t-shirt with a light jean jacket over it. He also had on some fitted dark jeans and some cute boat shoes and… a scarf. Not very long, or very colorful but a scarf, nonetheless. _"He looks so good in casual clothes! Very hipster but it fits him…",_ Lizzie noted as soon as she opened the door.

"Hey, Darcy. Come on in.", she said shyly. She cringed internally when she heard how her voice sounded. Her emotions were betraying her. Darcy didn't notice any hint of shyness because he was so caught up in the fact that she was inviting him in.

Part of him thought she'd slam the door in his face or something. "Hello, Lizzie.", he said as he walked in.

He followed her to the living room. "I'll be right back with my overnight bag, just give me a sec.", Lizzie said as she went to her room and got her stuff. She came back outside with her bag and started to walk towards the front door.

"Allow me.", Darcy said as he strode over and relieved her of her duffel bag, before opening the door for her.

He didn't think twice about it; it was part of his manners. He wasn't trying to impress her or anything, but it kind of did. Lizzie was one of the people who believed chivalry was dead and that it should be revived, so that little move had left her with a very good opinion of his behavior. He had always opened doors for her at Netherfield, but she mistook his steely gaze for annoyance rather than admiration.

* * *

The car ride to Darcy's home wasn't all that awkward. Darcy had on a classical station and they both silently enjoyed the musical stylings of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. They only ever spoke when Lizzie had complimented his taste and asked what radio station it was.

When they arrived, Darcy was on the lookout for Lizzie's reaction to his home. It was pretty big. Way bigger than Netherfield. It had an outdoor and indoor swimming pool/Jacuzzis, beautiful gardens, and its own tennis court with a running track around it. Oh, and the house was ginormous, of course. Lizzie's eyes dilated and she caught herself just before she let her jaw drop. It was a beautiful home.

"Wow, Darcy! Your place is not even a house; it's more of an estate, really. And it's beautiful!", Lizzie gushed to Darcy as she looked around after getting out of the car.

Darcy had Lizzie's bag in his hand and was walking towards the front door and said, "Thank you. This property was bought by my grandfather and Gigi and I have tried maintaining it as well as he and my father did."

Lizzie was taken aback. She'd never heard any of the Darcys mention their parents. Darcy gulped after mentioning his father. It just came out. He didn't like to think about them too much, but how could he not when the woman he loved was complimenting something his father had worked so very hard on?

"Follow me, Lizzie. I'll show you to your room.", he said quickly regaining his composure.

* * *

He set her bag down on the huge bed. "This is your room. You will stay here tonight and any other night, should you choose to visit again. The bathroom is just across the hall to the left. I'll let you get settled.", he said pleasantly before exiting the room. Lizzie couldn't believe what a great host Darcy was.

Just as Darcy was walking into the kitchen, he heard the front door open. "William? Lizzie? I'm back early!", Gigi shouted as she entered the house. She made her way to the kitchen and Darcy told her where Lizzie was. "Fabulous! We are going to have so much fun tonight!". Lizzie heard Gigi's commotion and quickly put her stuff away so she could go greet her.

Gigi hugged her super hard and then broke the hug to say, "I have an amazing idea! How about after dinner, we take Lizzie wine-tasting, William?".

Since Gigi had recently turned 21, she was always trying to fit in some excuse to drink alcohol. "Would that interest you, Lizzie? We have a fine selection of wine in our cellar. We have every year you can think of.", Darcy asked Lizzie.

"Geez, William, I said let's take Lizzie wine-tasting, not 'let's sound like a 5-star restaurant trying to sell our stock'.", teased Gigi.

Darcy rolled his eyes and Lizzie laughed. "Now, now Gigi. Your brother is just trying to be nice. I haven't had wine in a long time, so I gladly accept your invitation, sir.", Lizzie responded.

Darcy smirked at Gigi because Lizzie defended him. Gigi stuck her tongue out at them and sat at the table, ready for dinner. The next phase of Gigi's plan to get Lizzie and Darcy alone together was to begin after dinner.

* * *

They entered the cold, dark cellar and Lizzie gasped. She had never seen so much wine in her life. Now Gigi's comment about having a 5-star restaurant's stock made much more sense. Darcy noticed how shocked Lizzie looked and explained. "Remember when I said this property has been in the Darcy family since my grandfather's time? He brought with him plenty of European wines when he moved to the United States. Also, he made a point of collecting the best bottles on his travels around the world. It's become sort of a family tradition, I guess, because Gigi and I do the same thing."

Lizzie smiled. He looked so proud when he spoke of his family. His eyes sort of lit up and you could see the slight indication of a smile. Lizzie looked away quickly, trying not to look too interested in his face.

He asked, "Have you ever been wine-tasting before, Lizzie?" and she shook her head no. "I can explain the process if you'd like?", he asked, to which she nodded yes.

"Seriously, bro? Can't we just start drinking? It's not that hard.", Gigi said impatiently, hoping that Lizzie would come to Darcy's rescue again. And she did.

"Gigi, Darcy is just trying to teach me how to do this. You wouldn't want me to get drunk and pass out, would you? Movie night would be ruined.", Lizzie pointed out.

Darcy cleared his throat and began to explain the wine tasting process. He began with a light wine, something fruity that he thought Lizzie might like.

"Yawn, William. That wine is so boring! There are much stronger flavors over here.", Gigi commented. Lizzie had been in Darcy's corner the whole night because Gigi was acting like a brat and teasing him. She kind of reminded her of Lydia a little, and that fueled Lizzie's quarrelsome nature.

Lizzie tasted the wine he suggested, which she actually really liked, and proceeded to comment, "Wow, this is great, Darcy. Light and sweet. Very tasteful and classic. I commend your choice. Please, continue.".

Gigi shrugged, and poured herself a very full glass of wine. The wine-tasting continued in this way. Gigi would tease Darcy about his choices or about being a know-it-all and Lizzie would defend him. Also, while Darcy and Lizzie were tasting wine together, Gigi was filling up her glasses with the more concentrated varieties and she became drunk really fast. Now they had no choice but to hang out.

She was red in the face and slurring some words before Lizzie and Darcy noticed. They were wrapped up in each other's company and were having a pretty good, non-awkward time. Darcy sighed at Gigi. "Well, Lizzie. I guess our wine-tasting is over. It seems you and I have similar tastes.", he said almost smiling. "Please excuse me while I put my sister to bed. I don't know what's gotten into her today... Would you mind taking the glasses to the kitchen for me?", he said as he picked up a very lethargic Gigi in his arms.

"Sure thing, Darcy.", she said grabbing the wine glasses from the counter and following Darcy up the stairs and enjoying her view on the way up.

* * *

While Darcy was with Gigi, Lizzie was turning over tonight's events in her mind. _"A pleasant car ride, tremendous attentiveness towards his guests, pride in his family, a great taste in wine, a gentle and loving attitude towards a bratty sister, and his relaxed demeanor while at home… is this even the same guy? There's no hint of robot anywhere. He's so kind and not to mention handsome and muscular and… oh who am I kidding? I shot him down, so no way I'd have a chance with him now- if I even liked him that is. Ughh. I don't know what to think."_

When Darcy came into the kitchen, he saw Lizzie firing up the dishwasher and wiping off the kitchen counters. He stared at her for a little while and noted how domestic she looked. He dreamed of an alternate universe where she would do this every night because she would be home. His home would be her home… Darcy cleared his throat.

Lizzie turned around and smiled. "Sorry, I just started cleaning up. It's a habit. I always do it back at home.", Lizzie explained.

Darcy chuckled and said, "No need to apologize. You can do as you please here. You are a guest in our home and 'our casa es su casa'." Lizzie laughed at his bad Spanish pronunciation and he did too.

 _"When did Darcy become funny?",_ she thought to herself.

Darcy looked over at the clock on the wall behind Lizzie. "The night is still young, Lizzie. I believe Georgiana promised you would watch movies together?", Darcy mentioned. Lizzie nodded.

"Yeah, we were supposed to watch Season 2 of Downton Abbey together but I guess we'll just do it some other time.", she replied. Darcy was going to just nod, but her attitude towards him tonight had given him a little hope.

"I can watch Downton Abbey with you, if you'd like.", Darcy said quietly. Lizzie burst out laughing.

He didn't know what was so funny. _"Is the thought of us watching television together that ridiculous to her?",_ he thought self-consciously.

Lizzie stopped laughing and smiled at him, saying, " _William Darcy_ watching period dramas with me? Oh, this is going to be great."

" _Ahhh so she thinks that I am not well acquainted with this genre. Well, I'd like to see her face when I prove her wrong."_ , he thought smirking. "This way to the theater.", he said gesturing towards the hall.

"You guys have a _theater_? Of course you would.", Lizzie sighed and began walking.

* * *

The theater was not like an auditorium in a movie theater. It was much smaller and cozier. There was a huge projector screen on one wall and there were multiple couches on different levels of the room. There were popcorn/cotton candy machines, a cupboard stocked with junk food, a counter with a microwave, and even a fridge against one of the walls, and old movie posters on the other two walls. Lizzie was amazed.

This room felt different from the rest of the house. As if he'd read her mind, Darcy said, "This room has been recently renovated. It used to be a sitting room." Lizzie nodded in acknowledgement of the information. Darcy set up the DVD and headed over to where Lizzie sat down, with the excuse of "This is my favorite seat.", which was a big fat lie. Lizzie had taken off her shoes and had curled her feet up on the comfortable suede loveseat.

The show began and about three episodes in, Lizzie made a comment about the difference between the house servants and the the rich folks that inhabit/visit Downton. Darcy chimed in with his own opinion and Lizzie was shocked to hear him cite the show's characters as points to back up his opinion. Darcy smiled smugly and Lizzie punched him playfully on the arm and said, " _You_ watched Downton Abbey? Has Hell frozen over? How did this happen?"

Darcy laughed out loud, enjoying the way surprise lit up her face. "I am secretly a fan of the period romance genre. I've read many novels and I enjoy watching the BBC adaptations and miniseries.", he confessed.

Lizzie was in awe. If she did not truly find herself growing fond of him before, she couldn't deny that maybe she did like Darcy- just a little! They have so much in common and it's not like she hasn't been extra aware of the fact that Darcy's arm is close so close to hers that she can practically feel the heat emanating from his jean jacket.

She needed a break. She needed to separate herself from his company. She began feeling overwhelmed at the sudden budding of this fondness of Darcy. She got up abruptly from the couch.

Darcy felt startled, as she was just laughing, and now she looked like something was bothering her. "Is everything alright, Lizzie?", he inquired hesitantly, fearing the answer might be negative.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just need a break—a bathroom break! Ha ha…", she answered nervously.

Darcy felt relieved. "Why don't I heat up some popcorn and get some snacks while you're gone?", he suggested.

"Sure!", Lizzie said as she opened the door and stepped into the hall. She made her way over to the room she thought Darcy said was a bathroom. It was.

She closed the door behind her and then looked in the mirror. "Get it together, Elizabeth! You were just in your feelings because of the show, that's all. And sure, Darcy is turning out to be a great guy and everything but he's probably just being extra nice because you're a guest. Ugh. What the hell?! I can't call Jane or Charlotte because they'll rub it in my face.", Lizzie confessed to her reflection.

She washed her hands, which always seemed to calm her down, and then left the bathroom. On the way over she chanted, _"He's just a friend.",_ over and over again until she returned to the couch.

Darcy offered her some popcorn and some sweets. Lizzie immediately went towards the chocolate and relaxed further. Then, Darcy poured himself a big glass of wine and Lizzie asked for some too- she definitely needed some.

* * *

They forgot entirely about Downton Abbey as they drank. They began talking about the night's events and of Darcy's secret love of period romances. Somehow they got to talking about the accents of the actors on the adaptations, and surprisingly, Darcy can do a posh British English accent very well. Scottish, however, not so much.

Lizzie was cracking up next to him and unconsciously put her hand on his arm. The space between them was virtually nonexistent now. They had grown closer without even noticing. When they ran out of things to say, they turned back to the show. Lizzie didn't stay awake for long, though. She knocked out with her head on Darcy's shoulder and her arms unknowingly wrapped around Darcy's arm. She inhaled his scent and felt more comfortable than she had been in a long time. This felt right to her.

Darcy's thoughts mimicked Lizzie's almost exactly. When she fell asleep wrapped up next to him, he couldn't help but stare at her longingly, wishing that he could have the right to lift her up and put her to bed in _their_ room and kiss her goodnight, only to be awakened by her stirring the next morning. He softly brushed the hair away from her face.

 _"She is so beautiful while sleeping;_ my _sleeping beauty_ …", he imagined. His shoulder eventually fell asleep, so he pulled the lever on the side of the couch and watched as it turned into a makeshift bed. He laid himself and Lizzie down on the couch and wrapped his arms around her. Darcy fell asleep almost immediately and thought to himself as he drifted off into dreamland, _"I could get used to this…"._

* * *

**Hmm, it seems that Miss Elizabeth is one step closer to falling for Mister Darcy (and one step closer to Lizzie getting preggers amiright? ;) *fistpump***

**Next chapter we end Lizzie's weekend with the Darcy's and get back to Pemberley (around episode 82 I think).**

**Thank you all for continuing to read!  
**

**And please feel free to correct any mistakes! An anon told me my paragraphs were too bulky and I've tried separating the text more. Thank you.**


	3. Sports with the Darcys

**Enjoy! Big thanks to FF user SOLYAHU for inspiring part of this chapter!  
**

* * *

When Darcy put Gigi to sleep last night, he hadn't drawn her curtains because he wanted to rejoin Lizzie as quickly as possible. As a result, Gigi was awakened by the sun's rays in the morning. _"My head is killing me! The things I do for love! If William didn't take this chance to hang out with Lizzie last night, my suffering this morning will have been in vain."_ , Gigi thought to herself before turning over to look at the clock on her bedside table.

"7:10 am?! Ughhhhh!", she groaned into her pillow.

She tried to go back to sleep but her headache was getting worse. _"I'm probably dehydrated… I'll go down to the kitchen to get a bottle of water and some aspirin."_ , she decided, grabbing her phone and getting out of bed slowly. As she walked down the main hall, she passed the hall where Lizzie's guest bedroom was located. Gigi decided to pop her head in, just to see if Lizzie was sleeping well.

She slowly opened Lizzie's door and was surprised when she didn't see a silhouette on the bed. Gigi panicked, _"OMG! Did Lizzie leave last night because I left them alone? Nooo! I've ruined everything!"._ She turned on the light to see if Lizzie really wasn't there _. "Oh no!",_ she thought. She was suddenly very mad at herself and her silly plan, but then, she saw Lizzie's duffel bag on the floor, by the dresser.

 _"Hmm… what's this? She wouldn't have left her duffel bag, right? So then where could she possibly be? Her bed doesn't look slept in so I doubt she's in the bathroom or getting a snack… wait a minute!...",_ Gigi came to a conclusion as to where Lizzie could be. She gasped and then started laughing.

She ran to Darcy's room, headache forgotten, and then slowly opened the door. She poked her head in through the space between the door, and was confused when she didn't see anyone in Darcy's room. She turned the light on and looked around. _"No sign of Lizzie's things or that the bed has been slept in at all... Where could they be?",_ she pondered.

" _For a second there I thought my plan worked and that Lizzie and William finally accepted the fact that they were made for each other…",_ she thought, disappointed, and sighed to herself. She headed down to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and drank the aspirin. _"So much for our movie night. Guess I'll just go grab the DVD from the theater and put it back on my shelf.",_ Gigi decided as she left the kitchen.

She stopped at the door to the theater and wondered why the dim lights were on. She shrugged and proceeded to open the door. She walked to the projector to get the DVD and froze when she saw the scene before her.

On one of the couches was _Elizabeth Bennet_ , fast asleep, wrapped up in _William Darcy's_ arms! It took every single ounce of restraint for Gigi not to squeal loudly and jump around the room, like her body was telling her to. _"I have to get a picture of this!"_ , she thought excitedly as she took her phone out of her pajama pants pocket. She almost dropped her phone twice because she was so fidgety. She snapped a picture, hoping the flash wouldn't wake them. It didn't.

She quietly exited the theater; Downton Abbey completely erased from her mind. She ran to her room and began jumping around and dancing and cheering. This was major! After calming down a little, she texted the picture to Fitz with the caption, 'Team FIGI: 1'. She was going to call him at first, but she wanted him to wake up to the surprise.

There was no way Gigi could go back to sleep now, so she decided to go on the internet to pass the time until she could see how the two lovebirds were going to act at breakfast.

* * *

Darcy, a natural early bird, had awoken not long after Gigi came in and found him and Lizzie together. At first, he hadn't realized he was really awake, and was stroking her hair absently while wishing this was possible outside of his dreams. But then, he became aware of his surroundings and recalled what had happened last night.

 _"She fell asleep on me while we were watching the show…"_ , Darcy remembered. A sudden pang of anxiousness and panic hit him. He didn't want her to think he was taking advantage of her or being a creepy stalker, or anything. But he also couldn't find it in himself to part from her, so he would wait until she woke up first.

Darcy spent almost a half hour absorbing as much as he could of Lizzie's company, before she woke up. Lizzie woke up slowly, nestling further into Darcy for a minute, before she realized where she was and who she was with. Her face was stricken with horror as it hit her that she had just spent the night with William Darcy. She gasped.

Darcy acted as if the noise had caused him to wake up and he yawned and said, "Good morning, Lizzie.", nonchalantly, as if this picture didn't have the word 'WRONG' painted all over it.

Lizzie wiggled away from him and sat up, looking frazzled and embarrassed. She began blushing deeply and Darcy, who had chosen to sit up as well, made a mental note to tease Lizzie more often because he thought she looked cute when embarrassed.

"Good morning, Darcy.", she said shyly. She cleared her throat and said, "I must have fallen asleep last night… sorry about that…". She was beating herself up about this whole situation. _"How the hell did this happen?! He must think horribly of me! Way to go, Elizabeth!"_

Darcy was quite fond of this mortified Lizzie, but decided to try to put her at ease. "No worries. I fell asleep as well. I suppose it was all the wine we consumed." He felt rather bold and added, "I slept quite comfortably, though.", blushing lightly. The last part of his statement made her blush even more.

She laughed nervously and said, "Yeah, that's right! The wine! Ha ha… Well, I'm gonna go now…"

Darcy nodded and said, "Of course… Oh, wait, before you go: There will be breakfast for you when you come down."

Lizzie nodded and got up from the couch, leaving Darcy there smiling stupidly to himself. If anyone had seen his face, they would have thought he'd been possessed by something, for he hadn't smiled like that in a really long time.

* * *

On the way to his bedroom, Darcy decided to check on Gigi. She was pretty trashed last night and he wondered if she was sleeping well. _"I don't know what got into her last night but I hope she's okay. A good hangover would serve her right, though."_ , he thought just before opening her bedroom door.

Gigi was fast asleep. Apparently, the headache and Gigi's excitement tired her out and she fell back asleep after a while.

She was smiling in her sleep, too, the reason unbeknownst to him. Darcy sighed and shook his head. He had been checking on Gigi for years and it never ceased to put a smile on his face seeing his baby sister so calm and peaceful. He left her room and went to brush his teeth and shower. He had to hurry because he wanted to be downstairs before Lizzie; he was going to make her breakfast.

* * *

Lizzie's shower felt like one of the longest showers she'd ever taken. She was mulling over everything Darcy-related. At one point, she stopped shampooing her hair and just stood there, thinking, under the stream of water. Had she seen herself in the mirror, she would've laughed heartily. _"This is becoming a problem"_ , she thought to herself worriedly as she stepped out of the bathroom and walked to her room to get dressed.

She came down to the kitchen, smelling bacon as she neared its location. She was surprised to see Darcy in front of the stove- with an apron, nonetheless! She couldn't help but laugh out loud at the scene, causing Darcy to look puzzled.

 _"What's so funny?",_ he wondered, looking like a deer in headlights. She stopped laughing long enough to point at his apron, and when he realized why she was laughing, he chuckled and quickly removed it. "Breakfast is ready anyway.", he said confidently, trying not to be embarrassed by the apron.

He gestured toward a seat, which Lizzie sat down in. Then he set down on the table: multiple pieces of whole wheat toast, scrambled egg whites, strips of bacon, grapefruit halves, and two mugs of coffee. Lizzie couldn't help but be impressed, but then she tried to attribute Darcy's lovely display to his being rich. Anything to antagonize him, so she could feel a little better about her budding feelings for him.

* * *

They had a pretty silent breakfast. Lizzie never said "Hey, Darcy, your cooking is the bomb!", but she was making very appreciative noises as she ate. Darcy was as proud as could be. He was happy that Lizzie liked his cooking.

As they were finishing up their food, Gigi bounced into the kitchen, and her face dropped a little when she saw that they were quiet. She assumed they'd be all over each other.

"I saved you a plate over here, Georgiana.", Darcy said to her. _"Uh oh. He almost never calls me by my full name unless it's something serious or I'm in trouble…"_ , Gigi thought gloomily as she walked over to her plate.

"Thanks, William. That's so thoughtful of you.", Gigi said sweetly, trying to butter Darcy up so she wouldn't get scolded.

"You're welcome… now, would you care to explain your behavior last night?", he asked with a kind-of serious tone. Gigi sighed and explained that she had drunk a little too much champagne at that company get-together she attended yesterday before Lizzie came over. That, coupled with her light dinner and her craving (and premeditated over-indulgence) of wine, led her to become inebriated.

"I'm sorry guys. I hope I didn't ruin your night, Lizzie. I woke up half-afraid you had left because I abandoned you. Please tell me William wasn't a lame host.", Gigi said apologetically. _"Sorry, not sorry!",_ she thought to herself mischievously. What she had seen earlier that morning proved to her that her plan worked exceedingly well.

"Actually, Gigi, your brother was a great movie-night partner. I had a great time watching Downton with him.", Lizzie said honestly. She looked over to him and he was staring at her, like always, but he looked away when she caught him.

"Did you sleep well?... I hope you were comfortable.", Gigi said knowingly. Darcy almost choked on his coffee and Lizzie mumbled an affirmative. Had either of them looked up at Gigi, they would've seen that she knew.

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "You know what you should do, Gigi? You should take Lizzie on a tour of the house. You don't have anything to do between breakfast and tennis practice. I would accompany you all, but I have some business to attend to.", to which Lizzie added, "Yeah! You owe me some girl time!"

"Gladly, Lizzie. But afterwards don't complain you're too tired to play tennis with me.", Gigi agreed.

Gigi showed Lizzie all the rooms in the house, staying extra time in the important rooms to explain why they're considered important. Gigi really enjoyed spending time with Lizzie. She felt like the older sister Gigi never had. Gigi, very vaguely, told Lizzie a little about how her parents passed. "My mom got really sick when I was young- around 5 years old. I don't remember much, but I do remember her being in her room all day for weeks on end… And my father died about 10 years later. He was so much weaker after my mom died… William remembers much more. Maybe one day he'll tell you.", she said before exiting her parent's bedroom, thus ending the tour. Lizzie felt honored that Gigi trusted her enough to tell her about something that obviously still hurt.

* * *

After a snack, Lizzie and Gigi got ready for tennis. Sunday afternoons were dedicated to tennis practice for Gigi. They used to be spent swimming, but we all know why she doesn't swim anymore.

They walked together to the tennis court that the Darcys had on their property. "Wow, how convenient!", Lizzie exclaimed as they reached the court. She surveyed the area and liked the wide, open space around the tennis court/running track area.

"My brother is going to join us eventually. He always does his 5-mile run around the track while I practice. He used to do the same when I used to swim… but um-yeah. Let's get started, shall we?", Gigi said.

Lizzie saw Gigi's expression as she talked about swimming but decided not to explore the matter further.

They began playing tennis and Gigi let Lizzie serve first. They had just finished up their first round when Gigi yelled across the court, "Wow, Lizzie! You really made me underestimate you! The way you talked about your tennis skills made me think you were a novice. You're actually pretty good!". Just as she said this, Gigi spotted Darcy coming over with a plastic mini-cooler.

Gigi waited until Darcy was close enough to hear and said, "Seriously though Lizzie, you should pick up a tennis racket more often. You're actually pretty good competition compared to my big brother. He sucks at tennis! Right, bro?". And then the teasing began.

"I find squash much easier because you don't have to depend on another player for the ball. It's just your racquet, the ball, and the wall.", Darcy explained, his cheeks reddening under Lizzie's scrutiny. She was looking at him with an arched eyebrow.

 _"Hmm, I would've assumed that tennis ran in the family due to the way he spoke about her merits to his aunt."_ , she thought. "What's in the cooler, Darce?", she asked.

"I thought we might want refreshments later on.", he replied, while putting the cooler on the side of the court. He got his iPod out of the pocket of his basketball shorts. He put the ear buds in, turned to wave at them, and then ran onto the track. He began his 5-mile run.

When Darcy finished his run, he sat down on some bleachers next to the tennis court and opened up a bottle of water. He sat there watching Gigi and Lizzie play for a few minutes. Well, mostly Lizzie. _"The look in her eyes is so intense when she's focused and she looks so graceful."_ , he noticed. Gigi noticed her brother on the side and commenced the next phase of her scheming.

"Let's take a break, Lizzie. We're 15-30 right now and that's only because my hangover headache is returning and the fact that I played with my left hand to give you a break. I'm gonna head back to the house for a couple of aspirins.", said Gigi feigning signs of a headache. She looked apologetically at Lizzie and then at Darcy.

"William, I know you're terrible at tennis but will you _please_ finish up this round with Lizzie? You'll only need to cover for me until I get back. I've already messed up movie night, I don't want to ruin tennis too.", Gigi said sweetly.

Darcy nodded yes and Gigi smiled. "Oh, and William? Give me your t-shirt. It's drenched in sweat. I'll bring you a fresh one... Don't give me that face. It's gross!", Gigi asked him. He sighed and took off his sweaty t-shirt.

Darcy was facing away from Lizzie when he removed his shirt, so he didn't see the slight drop in Lizzie's jaw. Gigi, however, did and pretended not to notice.

Lizzie saw Darcy's sculpted back muscles and was mesmerized. Then, Darcy turned around. She was freaking out internally. She had always admired Darcy's frame but she never thought she'd see the real deal. He was perfect- well, her kind of perfect anyway. She liked a tall, lean figure; toned but not overly muscular; hard and soft in all the right places. Her libido had been mostly dormant for the past of couple years but now, thanks to Darcy, it was up and kicking. _"Pull it together, Elizabeth.",_ she reprimanded herself.

Gigi smiled to herself at Lizzie's facial expression while she handed her racquet to Darcy. _"Thank goodness my brother works out."_ , Gigi thought as she left with Darcy's shirt in hand.

* * *

So there they were, alone yet again. Darcy felt kind of awkward without a shirt and Lizzie kept trying not to stare. Darcy cleared his throat and broke the silence. "I guess we should start playing. You can serve. I'm telling you now I'm not that great at this sport, so go easy on me, Lizzie.", he said smiling nervously.

Lizzie nodded but did not keep her word. She was kicking Darcy's butt and making him dance around his side of the court. He was usually a very competitive person but he didn't mind. He was just happy to be spending time with her. Not to mention that he enjoyed the way Lizzie looked when she played. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, some hair loose around her face. She was all shiny and flushed, which he thought was extremely sexy. His train of thought betrayed him, though, and he missed the ball, causing Lizzie to win the match.

She jumped up and down in celebration of her victory, and Darcy's eyes followed every jump. His eyes shifted downward from her big smile, to her breasts bouncing underneath her tennis polo shirt and down to her shapely legs underneath the tight tennis skirt. _"Stop it, lest she think you a pervert. Although it's not your fault she's so damn attractive..."_ , Darcy thought to himself as lust grew inside of him. He tore his eyes away from her figure and set out to get himself a bottle of water. Maybe the cold drink would calm him down.

Darcy was a polite person, so he offered Lizzie a bottle of water before taking one from himself. She accepted it and began drinking. She was surprised at how thirsty she'd become. Darcy was frustrated, so when he tried opening his bottle of water, he opened it all wrong and splashed water all over his chest. Lizzie spit out her drink in laughter at Darcy. He reddened out of embarrassment and laughed at himself as well. It was then Lizzie noticed how hot Darcy looked. She'd already ogled at his physique, but now here was, all sweaty and colored and water dripping all over his chest. She almost wanted to wipe the water off for him. _Almost._

Darcy sighed and drank what was left of the water in the bottle. Then, he proposed a challenge. "Since we played tennis and you beat me, let's see how you like running. It seems as if Gigi has forgotten about us, so we should race back to the house.", Darcy said playfully. Lizzie smirked and then agreed. She knew Darcy would win, but hey- she'd get a nice view of his ass the whole time.

"On your mark, get set, ready... GO!", Lizzie yelled and they dashed for the house. Darcy, however, had the same idea as Lizzie, and let her get ahead of him a couple of times during the race, for the 'view'. He ended up winning, though.

They were outside the side entrance to the house, both catching their breaths and trying to furtively check each other out. They locked eyes a couple times but attributed their blushes to the exercise. Lizzie broke the silence by jokingly saying, "Congratulations on your victory, my good sir.", and curtseying.

Darcy chuckled and responded, "Thank you, m'lady. As victor, my reward shall be your acceptance of a parting gift Gigi and I have for you." Lizzie wasn't expecting that but agreed to it.

"Sure, Darcy. Thanks... I'm gonna go clean up now.", she said smiling and waving before she headed inside.

Darcy swooned. The fact that Lizzie was now willingly smiling at him instead of giving him the death stare made his heart skip a beat.

* * *

Gigi had apparently fallen ill during the time she was gone and failed to alert both Lizzie and Darcy. So, after checking up on Gigi, Darcy let Lizzie know that they were to dine alone. It was silent, but not the awkward kind. When they spoke, it was only to tease one another about something from this weekend and they seemed to take more pleasure in the bit of conversation, than the in food itself.

The time for Lizzie's departure finally rolled around and Gigi still hadn't come down. Lizzie decided to check on Gigi to make everything was alright. Gigi really appreciated Lizzie's genuine concern and almost maternal tone when she came to check on her, and decided she would reveal to Lizzie what Wickham had done to her. _"I'll do it tomorrow at Pemberly."_ , she decided.

Lizzie had to ask Darcy for a ride home and he obliged. The ride mimicked the pleasantry of their dinner and Lizzie arrived very content at her door. Darcy dropped her bag off in the living room and said, "Ah, before I forget. Your gift.". He ran to his car and came back with a gift basket filled with various wines and cheeses. She recognized some of the wines from their wine-tasting the night before. "How thoughtful! This is great. Thank you guys!", Lizzie exclaimed thankfully.

Darcy smiled and said, "You're very welcome... We're glad you enjoyed your stay at our home and that you return swiftly. Good night, Lizzie."

It felt as if goodbye wasn't sufficient enough. It felt as if they should exchange more words or a hug, even. But neither wanted to trespass onto the other's personal space, for fear of seeming too eager. So, Darcy just waved and headed out. Lizzie watched him get into his car and leave and couldn't help but feel a little sadness to see him go. She inspected her gift basket and saw a handwritten note. It read:

_We hope you enjoyed your time at the Darcy home and that you come back soon. You are welcome at our home whenever. We hope you sleep comfortably tonight, as we understand the sleeping arrangements during your stay were different from the ones you are accustomed to._

_Thank you for your lovely visit, the Darcys._

Lizzie couldn't help but laugh at the inside joke. Clearly, Gigi had no idea this letter existed and she doubted as to whether Gigi knew about the present she's supposedly half-responsible for.

Lizzie sighed and replayed the weekend in her head all night, until she finally fell asleep; her only consolation being that she might see Darcy tomorrow. She was no longer trying to find fault in his character; not even to suppress that faint feeling of longing when she thought about what a great time she'd had with him.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this. Next chapter will take place after Ep. 82, after Gigi tells Lizzie about Wickham. One chapter closer to her getting preggers! *fist pump***

**Cyberhug to everyone who took the time to read this whole thing lol**

**Review! It boosts my morale and makes me really happy. :D**


	4. The Hills Truly Aren't Forgiving

**You see in the description where it says this story will deviate from the LBD episodes? Yeah, it starts here lol. Lizzie's outing with the Darcys (that happens off-camera between episodes 82 and 83) doesn't happen on the weekend here. It happens in the middle of the week. Meh. Lol. So basically, don't count on the dates being accurate (you guys probably weren't paying attention to that anyway :P).**

* * *

Gigi woke up determined today. She was ready to share with the world what George Wickham had done to her. _"I'll go to Lizzie's office today before lunch when I know she'll be recording. I need to get this off my chest and reveal to everyone what that horrible man did to me… It'll be therapeutic. I should have done this a long time ago…",_ Gigi thought to herself as she got ready for the day.

When Gigi got to the kitchen, she found Darcy serving himself breakfast whilst smiling. He seemed to be in his own little world. _"He's been smiling since he got home last night… Now that I think about it, I haven't seen William smile so much in a really long time…",_ Gigi noticed.

Gigi wanted to keep up these good vibes, so she decided to ask Lizzie out to see the city with them on Wednesday. When she got to Pemberley she was going to walk into Lizzie's office before work began and personally invite her out with them. She couldn't say no to her face, right?

* * *

Lizzie woke up excited to go to work and not just because of the chance that she might see Darcy. Working at Pemberley Digital was a delight and she was always learning something new. She was just about to film a video about how Pemberley has a whole floor dedicated to wardrobe and costume, when Gigi interrupted her.

 _"I just saw Gigi a couple hours ago and agreed to go out with them. What could it be now?",_ Lizzie thought to herself before Gigi sat down.

When Gigi finished saying everything she had to say, Lizzie felt proud of Gigi for sharing her story. But she was also freaking out because she thought Darcy would be mad at her for posting such a personal video. _"Guess I'll find out on Wednesday when we go out."_ , Lizzie thought to herself worriedly.

* * *

Lizzie hadn't run into Darcy at Pemberley like she hoped she would after he left on Sunday. It was partly her fault for kind of avoiding him due to nervousness over Gigi's video; and then partly Darcy's fault because he had a lot of work to do before the day off on Wednesday, so he didn't have time to see Lizzie. Darcy liked to reward his employees when he saw good results, and this quarter's profit increased from the last. So he gave everyone a paid day off as an incentive to keep up the good work.

Wednesday came, and Lizzie found herself all knotted up inside. She got ready and was consciously aware of how she looked. She was no fool, and admitted to herself she cared about what Darcy thought, so she wanted to look good. She decided on some dark wash skinny jeans, a plain shirt underneath her favorite tweed jacket, and her most comfortable boots. Not to mention a scarf. She laughed to herself and thought, _"This is kind of like the scarf Darcy had on when he picked me up on Saturday."_

She finished blow drying her hair and prayed it wouldn't frizz up, just as Gigi texted her that they were outside. She looked at her watch: 11 am. "Damn, the Darcys _are_ punctual.", she said to herself as she grabbed her sunglasses and stuck them in her purse.

* * *

Their trip was so much fun; Lizzie had a great time. At first, it felt a little awkward and overly formal between Lizzie and Darcy but eventually, they loosened up and it was just like when they were hanging out last weekend. Gigi was snapping pictures for 'the memories' but it was really to update Fitz and the Dizzie fans. Gigi wandered off often, leaving Darcy to explain to Lizzie where they were.

At one point, Gigi had abandoned them and Darcy and Lizzie were standing, alone, at the bottom of a steep hill. Gigi had raced over the hill to give them some alone time, of course. She knew Darcy wouldn't be rude and leave Lizzie behind, so they walked over the hill together.

Lizzie and Darcy began arguing about something trivial, like what degree angle they thought the hill had, when Lizzie almost tripped. Darcy caught her, though, and Lizzie held on to him as if her life depended on it. It was the closest they'd ever gotten to a hug. They kind of stayed like that for a little while, each extremely aware of the fact that they were touching each other, until Darcy broke the moment.

He knew she was embarrassed because she began blushing instantly, but he couldn't resist saying, "I guess the hills truly aren't forgiving after all.", as he set her up straight. Lizzie reddened further, punched him on the arm, and walked away. Darcy laughed aloud and then caught up with her, ready to apologize, when he noticed she was holding back a laugh of her own.

"Good one.", was all she said in reply but then she giggled, and her laughter made Darcy feel all bubbly inside.

* * *

They stopped at a random little bistro with tables out front and decided it was time for a late lunch. Lizzie was famished because she hadn't eaten that morning due to her 'poor nerves' she inherited from her mother. They sat down and after a waiter took their orders, Gigi claimed she had some phone calls to return and left them, yet again.

Lizzie shook her head and said, "Your sister isn't fooling anyone. She's left us alone practically the whole trip."

Darcy snickered in agreement. After a beat, he added, "You know, I've been meaning to speak with you about Gigi… I saw your latest video…"

Lizzie's eyebrows shot up and her face paled. "You did?", she asked, her voice sounding sort of mousy.

He nodded his head yes and continued, "I'm proud of her for talking about it. That was a rough time in our lives and I'm glad she's finally getting over that _bastard_ -please excuse my language. I wanted to thank you for letting her tell you her story, Lizzie. In my letter I didn't reveal much because I wanted to protect her, but she seems to have opened up to you and that- well, it means a lot to me."

Lizzie was relieved that he wasn't angry with her, and replied, "It was no problem. I'm proud of her, too. It must have been really hard for her to talk about that… Actually, I was afraid you were going to kill me for posting it."

In response, Darcy laughed as if it was the most preposterous thing in the world, which it was. "That's impossible, Lizzie. I would never dream of hurting you.", he confessed, surprising himself and Lizzie. Lizzie felt flustered all of a sudden and didn't know how to reply.

 _"Does he mean that like I think he means that, or am I reading too much into this?"_ , she contemplated, but her thoughts were interrupted by Gigi, as she returned to the table.

Gigi told Lizzie, "Guess who's taking you out to lunch tomorrow? Fitz! My, my Lizzie you are very busy girl!"

Lizzie chuckled and said, "Apparently."

Their food was served quickly and they ate hungrily. Lizzie tried to pay for her food but Darcy wouldn't hear of it.

When they were done sight-seeing, they went to a flea market of sorts that was nearby. Lizzie was buying all sorts of little knick-knacks and Darcy really wanted to just take out his credit card and pay for her, but he knew she would get mad. _"If she were mine, she'd have anything and everything that pleased her…",_ he thought while watching her inspect a vintage-looking teacup that she thought would be perfect for Jane.

Since she wouldn't let him pay, he'd insisted that she at least let him carry her bags, which she begrudgingly accepted. Anybody who didn't know them would've thought that they were together. The way he stood beside her, holding her bags and commenting on things she picked up was very couple-like.

* * *

When it was time to drop Lizzie off, both Gigi and Darcy got out of the car and walked her to her door. Lizzie unlocked the door and let Darcy, who was carrying her bags, enter the house to put them down. While he was inside, Gigi apologized to Lizzie about abandoning her again and promised a girl's night tomorrow night.

"No way, Gigi. Your idea of a girl's night last time was not exactly a girl's night.", Lizzie replied warily.

"No, but this time it's forreal! Look, I know a karaoke place that's super fun! It'll be just me and you- no William. Not like he'd ever want to go, anyway. Come onnnn. I'm sure you were bored out of your mind today seeing all the historical landmarks- that was William's idea, by the way. I've been such a terrible hostess and I know I can make it up to you with Karaoke! ", Gigi pleaded.

Lizzie sighed and said, "Alright, I'll go. But I get to pick your first song! And as for today, I wasn't bored at all. I had a great time, actually."

Darcy overheard the last part of the conversation and he felt a burst of joy within him. Lizzie had a great time today, 70% of which she spent with him alone. _"So she likes my company… Maybe she would agree to go out without Gigi as a pretext…"_ , he considered.

The Darcys said their goodbyes but this time, Darcy and Lizzie ended up awkwardly shaking hands. _"It's a step up from just waving, right?"_ , both thought as they went their separate ways.

* * *

Thursday's lunch with Fitz was more like an interrogation. He asked her for everything that went down on her trip with the Darcys, as if he hadn't already spoken to Gigi. He was also trying to get Lizzie to reveal how she felt about Darcy, but Lizzie cleverly evaded his questions.

That night, was Karaoke time with Gigi. They had lots of fun and Lizzie accidentally let it slip to Gigi that she may like her brother.

Lizzie was perusing the drinks menu, when she recognized one of the wines from the gift basket that the Darcys gave her. "Hey, Gigi! This is one of the wines that you guys gave me! I've opened up the bottle and it is very tasty indeed. Can we order some of that?", Lizzie asked.

Gigi was confused, and then it hit her. "Ohhhh you mean the gift basket William gave you with the wine and cheese? Yeah, that was all him. He made a special order for them while I was showing you the house. They must have delivered them while we were playing our first round of tennis. He told me about it when he got home after dropping you off. ", she explained.

 _"Aha! So it_ was _Darcy's gift. I knew it! How sweet of him… but then why would he say it was from the both of them_?", she wondered, and Gigi answered her question.

"He said it was from both of us, huh? My brother is too modest.", Gigi said absent-mindedly.

Lizzie smiled. She had suspicions that the basket was from him only but now that she was certain, she felt even more appreciative. The fact that he would give her such a thoughtful present got her thinking about him again.

The wine loosened Lizzie up, and she and Gigi sang embarrassingly to every song. After they were done singing for the night, Gigi replied to Darcy's text and said they were leaving soon.

"Sorry, Lizzie. I was texting my brother back telling him we're leaving. He was afraid I'd drunk too much and couldn't drive… what were you saying?", Gigi said as they headed toward the parking lot.

Lizzie answered, "Nevermind. It was nothing… You're brother is really good to you, huh? Checking up on you like that and making sure you're safe. That's so considerate… I want something like that one day."

"My brother is very considerate and caring. He's just a little rough on the outside.", Gigi replied, liking where this conversation was headed.

Lizzie laughed and said, "He's not so rough on the outside. He's rather pleasing to look at if you ask me… I think I may like him."

Gigi's jaw dropped and she turned to look at Lizzie. Just then, Lizzie hiccupped and almost tripped. She was tipsy. But Gigi wasn't and she heard Lizzie loud and clear.

* * *

Friday morning Lizzie was beating herself for drinking so much. She also vaguely remembered telling Gigi that she liked her brother. Lizzie felt mortified and thought, _"Oh no! What if she told him?! It's going to be so awkward at work now, just when we were getting along so well..."_. She covered her face with her pillow and yelled, "UGH!" into it. _"Maybe she didn't tell him. Maybe Gigi respected the girl code... I hope so because I'm planning on interviewing him for my thesis today..."_ , she reasoned.

Gigi stopped by Lizzie's office shortly after the work day had begun, to see how she was doing. Lizzie had been lucky and avoided a hangover. She was trying to figure out if Gigi had told Darcy what she said last night, but didn't want to ask about it directly.

"Is your brother here today?", she asked Gigi.

"Yup. He's here all day. Pretty busy day for him, too. Why do you ask?", Gigi said sweetly. She knew what Lizzie wanted to know but she was enjoying herself way too much.

Lizzie replied, "Oh, okay. I just need to interview him for my project… Can you let him know if you see him around?"

Gigi smiled and said "Of course.", and walked out.

She went directly to Darcy's office and announced, "William. Lizzie wants you. Whenever you get a chance, head over to her office so she can interview you for her independent study." Her choice of words was meticulously thought out.

* * *

Hours later, when Darcy finally decided to take his lunch break, he showed up to Lizzie's office for his interview.

"Gigi said you wanted me…", he said and Lizzie freaked out for a second before he elaborated.

 _"She told him!"_ , she thought but was quickly relieved that Gigi kept her little secret.

She went to close the door and it was without thinking that she put her hand on Darcy's shoulder. She was just making her way to the door and back, and needed a little balance on the way. They both felt a little shock but neither party said a word about it.

When she turned off the camera, she couldn't stop laughing. " _Darcy is just full of surprises. He's kind, considerate, handsome, and every once in a while I see that he's funny… I was_ so _wrong about him."_ , she thought as she looked at him with the afro wig.

Darcy would endure the weird looks he had received in the hall any day, if it meant he could make Lizzie laugh like that. There she was wiping tears from the sides of her eyes, looking so amused, and he was the cause of it. He took pride in that.

All of a sudden, Lizzie's stomach growled really loudly and her face grew pink out of embarrassment. He got up and put his arm out. "Since neither of us has eaten lunch yet, would you like to accompany me to the cafeteria?", he asked. He felt suddenly audacious and hoped she would agree.

Lizzie smiled and nodded yes. "Sure thing, my good sir.", she answered as she took his hand and helped herself up.

* * *

They ate lunch at Pemberley's cafeteria, which serves amazing food, by the way. It was mostly empty because they were eating kind of late. Darcy left the wig on, just to make Lizzie laugh, and their lunch ended up lasting over an hour. And if he wasn't mistaken, his meager attempts at flirting were working.

He knew he was probably driving his poor secretary crazy because he was late for his meeting, but he didn't care. He dropped Lizzie off at her office and after closing the door behind him, decided he would ask her out on a date. He received a reminder in the mail the other day, that the theater he and Gigi have year-round box seats to is hosting a performance of one of Shakespeare's plays. If he recalled correctly from their Netherfield arguments, Lizzie was a fan of Shakespeare.

"I'll ask her on Monday…", he resolved on the way to his meeting, giving his seriously pissed off secretary a penitent look as he passed her desk.

* * *

**That wraps up this chapter. Next chapter brings Episode 84, where Darcy asks Lizzie on a date and heads up: she says yes!**

**What will happen when Lizzie's phone doesn't interrupt Darcy's question? Hmmmm. I'm so excited for the next chapter you guys! ;)**

**Also check out FF user SOLYAHU 's new fic about Darcy and Wickham's relationship if you're interested. It's titled Archenemies. It's in my favorites.**


	5. Conception

**Hey guys! So I was so excited to write this chapter and I had fun doing it. Hopefully you all enjoy it as much as I did. Also, Lizzie and Darcy have sex here towards the end of the chapter (hence the M rating). Just a heads up.  
**

**Also, it's a long one! Almost 6K!**

* * *

After lunch with Darcy, Lizzie emailed Charlotte the footage so she could edit it and promised to Skype with her later on that night. She was extremely giddy for the rest of the day and Charlotte noticed it as soon as she saw Lizzie's face on the computer screen.

"Why are _you_ so happy?", Charlotte asked, smiling smugly. She had already watched what Lizzie filmed today and knew exactly why her best friend was all cheerful.

Lizzie rolled her eyes and replied, "I had a great day today; a great week actually. Is it a crime to smile?"

"Mmhmm… this happiness wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain CEO, now would it?", Charlotte teased.

"Maybe.", Lizzie said reluctantly. She knew Charlotte was going to rub it in her face, but she needed to talk to _somebody_ about him. She felt as if she was going to burst. She hasn't had a crush in what feels like forever.

Charlotte laughed and said, "Yup. I knew it. The line between love and hate is a thin one and you, my friend, have crossed it."

Lizzie sighed, annoyed at the word 'love' and corrected her bestie. "I have come to terms with the fact that I LIKE Darcy. I don't LOVE him. Big difference. He's just... like a completely different guy now. Besides, how can I _love_ somebody I don't know?"

Charlotte chuckled and retorted, "Why don't you ask the man in question. He confessed his love to you not too long ago..."

Lizzie groaned. This is why she didn't want to tell Charlotte: the endless teasing that would ensue. "Whatever Char. Just keep your mouth zipped. Nobody else knows… except for maybe Gigi."

"And the viewers. They can totally feel the chemistry between you two. And Jane. Jane knows you've never been indifferent to him. She probably hasn't been keeping up with your videos, but she'll find out soon enough..."

Lizzie groaned again. Charlotte could be so annoying sometimes.

"Lizzie and Darcy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-", was all Charlotte got to say before Lizzie hung up on her.

Charlotte texted Lizzie a winky face, which she chose to ignore.

Lizzie had to Sykpe everyone now instead of just a regular phone call because her phone started acting up. It would shut off randomly; even in the middle of a call. Also, the touch-screen keyboard wasn't working properly and sometimes, the letter she tapped was not the letter that appeared. It was a hot mess. Her phone was pretty old though, and since tomorrow was Saturday, she was going to go to the phone store and see what could be done about it.

* * *

Lizzie woke up at around 10am on Saturday morning. She had slept in because she didn't really have any plans today, except for going to see about her phone. She was making some instant oatmeal in the microwave and pouring a glass of orange juice, when the phone pinged. She received a text from Charlotte that said:

_Check out the new video; it's up!_

_xoxo Char_

Lizzie ran into her bedroom and grabbed her laptop. She ran back to the kitchen and got there just in time to stop the microwave from beeping.

She went on YouTube and clicked on Episode 83. She was dying of laughter all over again at the end. Lizzie remembered how funny Darcy had been after she stopped filming, and she sighed as she thought about him and wondered what she should do.

 _"I'm not sure how he feels about me. Maybe he's just being nice, ya know?... I shot him down pretty hard, so there's no way he could still have feelings for me, right_?", she thought to herself.

She went back and watched the video where she rejected Darcy and she winced at how cruel she had been. And she was overwhelmed by how drastic a change she had observed in Darcy.

The logical thing would be to just ask him how he feels. But that is easier said than done when you have publicly humiliated a man and now have feelings for said man.

Lizzie was usually a go-getter, even in love. Most of her previous boyfriends, she had asked them out. But this was so much more intimidating and she didn't want to face rejection.

* * *

Darcy had to work late last night but he did so without complaint. He was thinking about Lizzie half the time and he was happy. Just plain _happy_. Nothing could have ruined his mood. Not the last-minute documents he had to review; not the disapproving look his secretary gave him as she announced she was going home for the day; not the jerk that cut him off on the way home.

 _"If I feel like this now, I can't even begin to fathom what I'll feel like if she agrees to go to the theater with me!"_ , he thought as he made his way to his room to get ready for bed. It was kind of pathetic, really, he acknowledged, shaking his head.

Gigi intercepted him en route, however. "So how'd the interview go?", she asked curiously. Although, with the goofy look on his face she could assume it went rather well.

"Just fine, Gigi. She recorded it, actually. So you'll see it tomorrow. Now, good night. I'm tired.", Darcy replied quickly, trying to avoid an interrogation.

The next morning, Darcy walked in from his morning run and was almost deafened by Gigi's shrieks. "OH MY GOD, WILLIAM!", was all she yelled. He didn't know where in the house she was, but he could hear her excitement.

A few minutes later, Fitz texted him:

_DARCY! My man! I see you upped your game **BIG TIME**. The ladies love a funny guy. Not that I would know, but still! ;)_

Darcy chuckled, but his confidence was boosted a little higher thanks to Fitz's compliment.

* * *

Lizzie arrived home very pleased about her phone situation. No, she hadn't gotten her phone fixed, but she was eligible to receive a brand new phone for free! She had made it through her two-year contract with the phone company and as an incentive to stay with them, they give out new phones. It may not be an iPhone 5, but it's better than nothing, right?

She looked at her phone and saw she had a missed call from home. _"How the hell did I get a missed call? The phone isn't even on silent! It should have rung. Ugh. I cannot wait for Monday.",_ she thought as she made her way to her laptop.

 _"Hopefully the house computer is online so I can Skype them… yes!_ ", she cheered mentally as she waited for someone to answer. It was Mr. Bennet's face that popped up on the screen.

"Ellie! We haven't heard from you in ages! I was beginning to think you'd abandoned us for the big city.", Mr. Bennet said.

"Please, don't call me _Ellie_. I'm not five anymore, Dad.", Lizzie replied, smiling at the nickname only her father was allowed to use.

"No, no. I suppose you're not. I don't know many five-year-olds in grad school…"

"Dad!", she said laughing. Oh, how she missed her father's sarcasm.

"How are you doing, my middle child?"

"Perfectly fine, Dad. I've had a busy week and haven't been able to call... How is everyone at home?"

"If by everyone you mean Lydia, your mother, and I, then we are all fine. Your mother is ecstatic because Lydia has brought home an 'eligible son-in-law'. She's out with him right now, actually. The guy looks rather familiar but I don't remember where I've seen him before. And since I'm not as obsessed with having my girls leave me as your mother is, I don't even know the kid's name."

"Wow, Dad. You should take more of an interest in your daughter's boyfriends. You never know, he might end up being the son you never had."

"It's very possible… Lydia seems to have calmed down a bit and she seemed to be quite attached to the young man at dinner the other day… But I'm not too concerned with him. I'm counting on Mr. Lee snatching away my first-born any day now, according to your mother."

Lizzie laughed and said, "Ahh so Janie finally told Mom about getting back with Bing. I'm glad I'm not home to hear her fantasize aloud about her ' _red-headed Asian grandbabies'_ …"

"THOMAS! What are you- … Is that Elizabeth?!... Move over, dear. LIZZIE! Oh honey, you won't believe what luck I'm havin'! Two of my girls are well on their way to gettin' married and givin' me grandbabies! Please tell me that, you too, have found a nice young man to bring home for dinner?", Mrs. Bennet prattled, practically shoving Mr. Bennet off the computer chair. Little did Mr. and Mrs. Bennet know, Lizzie was the closest of their girls to giving them their first grandchild…

 _"I think so. Maybe.",_ Lizzie thought to herself as Darcy's face popped up in her mind, but of course she wouldn't tell her mother that. "No, Mom. And hey, I love you guys but… I've gotta go, okay? I've got some independent study work to do."

"Alright now, dear! Don't work too hard. It's a Saturday! Why don't you go out and see if you can find a nice young man like your sisters, huh? You should see who Lydia brought home- HEY! Thomas!... Why, I never!-", Mrs. Bennet said as she was picked up by Mr. Bennet.

"Bye, Ellie. Call back soon! I'm not hearing from you often enough.", Mr. Bennet said before walking away with Mrs. Bennet kicking and screaming over his shoulder.

Lizzie chuckled and shook her head at her parents. She missed her crazy family. She wanted to ask about Lydia but she decided not today. Maybe the next time she called, Lydia would be home. She'd try to break the ice by asking her who her new man was.

* * *

Lizzie had nothing else to do, so she figured she'd clean the house. She ordered a pizza and started organizing things in the guest room where she was staying. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't really touched anything in there. Her clothes were all in the closet and in the top drawers of the dresser.

There wasn't much to do except pick up her clothes and differentiate between clean and dirty. Lizzie wasn't a slob or anything, but she had gotten used to her mother folding her clothes for them and that made her a bit lazy.

She started rummaging through empty drawers and was surprised when she came across a box of condoms in the back of the nightstand's drawer. She immediately dropped them and put them back where they were. "What the hell are _those_ doing in there?", she thought as she eyed her bed suspiciously.

Just then the doorbell rang. _"The pizza is here!",_ Lizzie thought hungrily as she ran to her purse to get money.

* * *

The rest of the weekend was uneventful for both Darcy and Lizzie. Darcy worked from home and Lizzie worked on her thesis.

However Monday arrived and both parties were really excited for the day, although for different reasons. Lizzie was eagerly awaiting her lunch break so she could go exchange her phone and Darcy was waiting for a good moment to ask Lizzie out.

He had seen her leave her office and said to himself as he paced in his office, "Alright, William. You've procrastinated long enough. When she returns, you will head to her office and ask her out." Then he shook his head and thought himself silly for talking to himself.

Lizzie had just arrived with her brand new phone and was waiting for it to activate. "Yesss! Finally! I _have_ to record a video about this!", she decided as she got her camera ready to share news about her phone.

It still wasn't working properly; the guy at the phone store said that it could take up to 30 minutes to be able to receive and send calls and texts. And on top of that, she had to wait for it to update to the newest software.

She had begun talking about her phone, when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!", she said.

In walked Darcy looking nervous but determined. After the awkward small talk, Darcy finally revealed why he had come into her office.

"I have something I'd like to ask you…", he said.

"Sure.", Lizzie replied smiling.

"Gigi and I have year-round tickets to the theater and tonight, they're showing one of Shakespeare's comedies… and I was wondering if you'd like to attend?"

"Sure, I'd love to go with you and Gigi! It's been a while since I've seen a live performance."

**BEEP. BEEP.**

"Sorry! That's my phone.", she apologized and checked her phone.

He cleared his throat and continued, "Actually Gigi is busy tonight, so she can't accompany us… It'd just be you and uh, me."

They stared at each other for about 3 seconds, and then just as Lizzie was about to reply, her phone beeped again.

"Oh no!", she exclaimed as she picked up her phone. "It died on me!"

The man at the phone store specifically told Lizzie that the phone had to be fully charged to avoid interruption during activation; it had completely slipped her mind due to her enthusiasm. Since her old phone and her new phone were the same brand, she didn't need to buy a new charger, but she didn't think about bringing her old one along.

"Ugh! Oh well, whatever. I'll just put it to charge and let it activate and update at home…" she said and then turned to Darcy, "…while you and I watch some Shakespeare!"

The relief that Darcy felt when she agreed cannot be put into words.

He smiled and said, "Great. So, uh, I can drop you off at home after work and then pick you up again an hour later? The show starts at 7:00 but the doors are open for seating at 6:30... Well, that's if you'd like. Is that alright with you?"

Lizzie nodded. "That sounds perfect."

Darcy got up and smiled at her before leaving her office. When he got to his office, he found himself too worked up to do any work.

Lizzie had forgotten she'd been recording about her new phone. She turned off the camera and thought to herself, _"No way am I sending that to Charlotte yet. She'll make a huge deal over nothing."_

Now, the rest of her afternoon had been consumed with thoughts of going on a date with Darcy. She'd been alternating between that and working on another report for her thesis. She'd avoided checking her email and all social media because she really wanted to get this work done today and could not afford any more distractions.

* * *

Darcy did as he promised and showed up to Lizzie's office at 5pm on the dot. They walked together to the parking garage and then he drove her home.

"See you in about an hour?", Lizzie asked as she got out of the car. Darcy nodded yes, smiling, like he has been since he left her office earlier.

As soon as she got home, Lizzie put her phone to charge in her room and started to get ready. They were going to a fancy theater so she wanted to wear something formal. She decided on a fitted satin red cocktail dress (a Jane Bennet creation) with a pair of gold strappy heels and a gold clutch. She was putting her hair up, when she realized she hadn't turned on her phone.

It was charging but it didn't automatically turn on, so she went over to her night stand and turned it on so it could start activation again. The constant beeping annoyed her, so she put the phone on silent.

 _"Stupid technology. Why does everything have to be so complicated? I thought this was supposed to be a smart phone?",_ she thought and then noticed the time. _"Darcy's gonna get here soon! I gotta finish getting ready! Hopefully this thing is done activating by the time I get back."_ , she hoped as she put her phone face-down on the stand.

When Darcy arrived, he tried calling her phone but it still wasn't working, so he rang the doorbell. She opened up and said, "Hey Darcy. Sorry, I've just got to get my clutch and I'll be ready." She didn't really look at him because she was preoccupied with finding her misplaced bag, so she didn't see the look in his eyes when he saw her.

He looked at her from head to toe and stared at her intensely. He was mesmerized by her beauty and even pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Red was definitely her color. She looked amazing; not to mention incredibly alluring. Her dress was tight and showed off her petite frame. Also, her hair was up so Darcy had full view of (and access to) her neck. He shook his head to try to rid himself of these thoughts, just as Lizzie approached him.

"'Kay, I'm ready!", Lizzie said excitedly.

Darcy plucked up some courage then cleared his throat and told her, "Before we go, I'd like to tell you that you look amazing, Lizzie."

She blushed and tried to brush off the compliment, "Thanks, but you look great, too." That was an understatement, though. She thought he looked incredibly handsome. He had forgone wearing a suit jacket, so she could vaguely make out the lean torso underneath that she'd seen when they played tennis together.

He also blushed and then motioned to the door and said, "Shall we?"

* * *

They got to the theater and Darcy guided Lizzie to their seats. Lizzie was astonished at how much better the view from the box seats were and she and Darcy began talking about the most recent plays they'd seen. She found herself adding this to the list of things they have in common.

Lizzie and Darcy were an odd pair; whenever they were alone together, they had a great, non-awkward time and enjoyed each other's company. It was before and after they spent time together that they got weird. When they would over-analyze the other's words or actions, or become self-conscious, that's when they felt like they were doing something wrong. This weird feeling is what resulted in awkward handshakes and waves as goodbyes.

But not tonight.

"That was a great performance. Do you remember the part when he-", Darcy commented.

"I know! I had never seen anyone interpret it like that; it was hilarious!", Lizzie agreed, cutting him off because she knew exactly what part he was thinking of.

Darcy chuckled and then suggested, "Lizzie, what do you say we eat something? I'm famished."

"Same here. I haven't eaten since my late lunch after I spoke with you in my office."

They went to a Greek restaurant that was near the theater. It was close enough to walk, so they did. They each enjoyed the sensation of bumping shoulders and of their hands colliding as they walked.

After they ate, neither wanted the night to end but couldn't think of any excuse to prolong their outing. But, when they arrived at her place, Lizzie said, "Hey, Darcy… you're, um, welcome to come in and help me finish off some of the cheese and wine from your gift basket. I don't know about you, but I'm not very tired. I'm too worked up from the play still… If you can't, I totally get it. There's work to be done tomorrow."

Darcy's expression was incredulous. He had been brain-storming a way to extend their night and here it was from Lizzie herself. He quickly responded, "That's a great idea.", and let her get out of the car to open the door while he parked.

When he got inside, he sat down on the couch in the living room and Lizzie brought out a bucket with ice and several bottles of wine inside. In her other hand was a large wedge of cheese, and a small knife, and two wine glasses between her fingers.

Darcy got up to help her and together they set everything down on the coffee table.

"Do you mind if we watch TV? Maybe there's something good on.", Lizzie suggested.

Darcy nodded and Lizzie turned the television on, only to find that the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice had just started.

She laughed and said, "What a coincidence! A period drama while you're here!", remembering his secret appreciation for them.

Darcy also joined in her laughter and said, "What are the chances?"

Lizzie read at the bottom of the screen that it said 'No Interruptions'.

"And look, no commercials!", she exclaimed.

"Guess I'm going to have to stay and watch the whole thing then.", Darcy said jokingly but they both knew they wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

They drank wine and ignored the cheese. They kept their glasses full at all times because both of them felt more and more comfortable with each sip.

They began comparing the 1995 miniseries with this version. They were arguing the pros and cons of each version when Lizzie got really animated with a drink in hand and accidentally spilled it on Darcy's shirt.

"Oh my gosh! Sorry! I'm so sorry! Wait, let me try to fix it.", she exclaimed and ran towards the kitchen to get a wet wash cloth. When she reached the sink, she almost tripped and thanked the heavens that Darcy had not been there witness that embarrassing moment. _"Guess I'm a little more tipsy than I thought."_

She returned to him and began trying to clean the stain, but her efforts were futile. While scrubbing the stain, Lizzie was bent over in front of Darcy and he had a really nice view of her cleavage. He was tipsy, so his brain wasn't screaming at him to stop looking as it would have if he had been sober.

"It's not working. Sorry Darcy. Give me your shirt so I can throw it in the washing machine before the stain sets in.", she commanded.

When she saw Darcy was having trouble with the shirt buttons, she helped him out. He started unbuttoning from the bottom, and she started from the top. Their fingers brushed in the middle and they both felt a small electric shock of sorts.

Underneath his button-up, his undershirt had also gotten stained and he had to take that off, too. He seemed to be having trouble with that as well, so she helped him out again; only this time, her fingers trailed lightly up his sides as she lifted his shirt and Darcy couldn't help but shiver.

Lizzie pretended not to notice, and they smiled at each other, both embarrassed and blushing, before Lizzie said, "I'll be right back.", and she walked off with his shirts.

When she returned, she observed the shirtless man before her. His face was still a little pink and his hair was ruffled up from the removal of his shirt and he just looked so damn adorable to her.

She instinctively sat down next to him and ran her fingers through his hair. "Your hair was kind of messed up.", she explained and stopped abruptly when she realized what she'd done.

"Then I guess I'll take the liberty of fixing yours as well.", Darcy said softly, as he tucked a few loose hairs behind Lizzie's ears. His fingers lingered behind her ear and trailed down to her neck, where they stayed caressing her skin. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't have been so bold, but his slightly inebriated brain was also becoming intoxicated by Lizzie's innocent concern for his clothing and hair.

After just a few seconds of his touch, Lizzie leaned forward and kissed Darcy. The moment felt heavy with tension and he was shirtless and touching her and she felt the urge to kiss him, so she did. If anything, she could blame it on the alcohol.

* * *

At first, he was in disbelief but that quickly faded. Just before she could completely pull away, he held her face gently and became an active participant in the kiss.

Lizzie kissed him with uncertainty at first, but that doubt faded into passion. He felt her tongue slip past his lips and almost smiled at the taste of wine still present.

Lizzie's hands were originally on Darcy's shoulders but her right hand moved up into his hair and her left moved down onto his back. This gave him confidence to move his hands from her jaw, down to her waist and lower back.

While kissing, they were pulling each other closer and closer until there was no space between them; and Darcy instinctively pushed Lizzie down, until she was lying on the couch and he was hovering above her, between her legs.

His hands wouldn't stay still; he was moving them up down her waist, not sure if he was allowed to touch elsewhere just yet. Her hands, however, were exploring all of his neck, shoulders, and lower back; the fact that he was shirtless allowed him to enjoy her touch even more.

He continued to kiss Lizzie passionately, but moved from her lips to behind her ear. He could feel her moving her head sideways to give him more access to an area that was hypersensitive for her. This made Lizzie automatically wrap her legs around Darcy's hips and she gasped a little as she felt Darcy's rigid arousal press into her thigh.

He moved down from behind her ear to her neck. His goal became to mark his territory by giving Lizzie a mark she could remember him by for the next couple of days.

She moaned softly and he slowly moved his hand up toward her breast, causing Lizzie to open her mouth and tilt her head back. Darcy kissed her deeply and continued to massage her breasts and torso for several minutes until he couldn't stand her soft moaning any longer.

He pulled away suddenly and sat up, panting and flushed. Lizzie opened her eyes and had a pouty look that screamed 'Why did you stop?', which mimicked her thoughts.

"Lizzie, I can't do this anymore. If we're not going to…", Darcy paused to think of a polite way to say it, "…'go all the way', then I think we should stop here. I can't continue like this…"

Lizzie sat up too, her hair wild and her face glowing from the stimulation. Darcy almost smirked to see his effect on her but then he looked down and saw that his effect on her was nothing in comparison to what she'd done to him.

Lizzie got up from the couch, drank the bit of wine left in the glass, and then offered her hand to Darcy. He looked at it confused, but grabbed it and she tried pulling him up.

He laughed at her attempt and then got up as she led him to her bedroom.

She led him toward the bed and then pushed him so he fell back onto it, causing him to look at her questioningly. _"What is she doing? I told her I can't go on…",_ he thought.

 _"A confused Darcy. I'd never thought I'd see the day. Then again, this whole night was never in the realm of possibilities…"_ , she wondered, smiling at the unlikely situation they were in.

She removed her dress as he watched, dumbfounded, and then stood before him in her lacy underwear for a couple of seconds as he gazed at her.

She then moved to unbuckle his belt and remove his pants before Darcy stopped her. "Lizzie-", was all he said before she shushed him.

With his pants gone, Lizzie decided to climb atop Darcy and continue where they'd left off on the couch. At first Darcy wanted to protest but he was swept away by Lizzie's lips.

After another heavy make-out session with Lizzie on top, Darcy said frustratedly, "Lizzie, we can't do this. Trust me, I want be with you _badly_ but I wasn't anticipating this at all and I didn't… come prepared." He wondered why she insisted on teasing him.

Lizzie smiled and finally spoke, "I didn't expect this to happen at all _trust me_ , but luckily for us, Dr. Gardiner's relatives are very thoughtful hosts."

Lizzie leaned over to the bedside table (completely ignoring the face-down cell phone that, had she checked, would have revealed several missed calls and voice mails) and opened the drawer to pull out the box of condoms she'd discovered while cleaning up the other day. Unfortunately, they didn't bother to check the expiration date to see that those condoms were a couple years past their prime.

That changed everything. Darcy's hesitancy disappeared and he pulled Lizzie down to him, kissing her roughly. After a couple minutes, he flipped her over so that he was on top of her and kissed her all over. He was no longer holding back; he was forceful and almost barbaric in the way he ripped off Lizzie's bra and panties.

Lizzie, having experienced only a nice and controlled Darcy since arriving in the city, was surprised at how wild he seemed and she liked it. There was nothing robotic about the way he was making her feel right now.

She helped him remove his boxers and put on the condom. After that, he was hovering over her taking in every curve of her beautiful body and then of her beautiful face. He looked her in the eyes and asked, "Are you ready?". She nodded yes and then he kissed her with an unrestrained passion as he entered her body.

Both of them moaned and stilled at the intense pleasure they felt; neither had been intimate with anyone in years. Darcy didn't move for a little while, soaking up the feeling of being one with Lizzie. Never in a million years did he dream it was possible.

The first time was fast and rough. All the uncertainty, awkwardness, and embarrassing moments that had taken place between the two had fueled this impassioned union. Lizzie's noises and gyration of her hips beneath him drove Darcy insane, and Darcy's thrusting erased any possibility of Lizzie making a coherent thought, which is why all she could do was pant and moan loudly to match his grunts.

When they were done, Darcy was the first to speak. "I apologize, Lizzie. I seem to have bruised you. ", he said, but didn't sound sorry at all; he was too sated. In his ardently aroused state, he hadn't been aware that he'd held her hips so tight.

"It's alright… I'm sorry too. Your back may or may not look like you lost a fight to a tiger.", she said and giggled, feeling bubbly and light.

Darcy looked over at her and he thought, _"She's so gorgeous…"._ She was smiling from ear to ear and her hair was spread out all around her, framing her pretty face.

He enjoyed the sound of her laughter and wanted to hear it again, so he tickled her. The tickling led to round 2, and here Darcy truly made love to Lizzie. He took his time and he was gentle. Lizzie had never made love. She'd had good sex before, but this was beyond anything she'd ever experienced.

This time, the pleasure wasn't as intense, and Lizzie was able to moan words of pleasure into Darcy's ears. He in turn, would whisper back what he felt about her deep inside: that she was perfect; that she was beautiful; that she was amazing; that she was the best lover he ever had.

* * *

He wanted so badly to tell her that he loved her, but he didn't feel confident enough. Sure, he was with her at the moment and there was no doubt she was enjoying every second of it, but the last time he confessed his love for her, things didn't turn out so well. He didn't want her to say those three powerful words in the heat of the moment either. He wanted her to mean them beyond question, like he did.

Lizzie wasn't even remotely aware how Darcy felt. She suspected that he liked her (obviously, if he's sleeping with her), but she had no idea how _much_ he liked her. To be fair, she had no idea how much she liked _him_ until she'd led him to her bedroom. But she didn't want to think about confusing feelings right now; she just wanted to experience the pleasure. They'd have plenty of time to label their relationship later, right?

It was here, my friends, in this moment of coital bliss, that something truly magical occurred. A very special little cell from William Darcy raced toward a very special cell of Elizabeth Bennet. As Lizzie and Darcy slept wrapped up in each other's arms, their baby was conceived. Nine months from this day, a Darcy-Bennet love child will have been born.

* * *

**Next chapter Lizzie finds out about Lydia and Wickham! dun Dun DUN!  
**

**I'm changing the Lydia-Wickham arc somewhat. Lizzie won't find out she's prego for a little while, so I need to change some things. :P**

***CYBERHUGS***


	6. Lizzie Goes Home

**Enjoy. :D  
**

* * *

Darcy was awakened by the alarm on his phone. It was 7am on a Tuesday morning and he did not want to get up. He was usually an early riser, but under the current circumstances, it's understandable why he wouldn't want to start the day.

 _"Should I call in sick?... I've never done that before but I really don't want to leave Lizzie's side…"_ , he thought as he looked over at Lizzie.

She was just starting to rouse, also having been woken by the alarm on Darcy's phone. She stretched and then turned to look at him cautiously.

"Good morning, Darcy…", she said hesitantly. She wasn't sure if last night had been a result of sexual depravity and alcohol mixed together or if he actually wanted it to happen. Darcy internally cringed when he heard her call him by his last name.

"Good morning, Lizzie. I –uh- kind of would prefer you not call me 'Darcy' anymore. I mean, after last night, I feel we're intimate enough to be on a first name basis…", he suggested.

"Okay, so you want me call you William?", asked Lizzie confused. _"It's really not that strange of a request. People are usually called by their first names. But it just feels weird with Darc- I mean_ William _."_

Darcy replied, "Yes. You could call me whatever you like, but I like my first name because it's so much more familiar."

"Okay, _William_. But no one calls you that except for family…"

"And now you.", he said as he got up to go to the bathroom and to get dressed, picking up his clothes from the floor along the way.

Lizzie giggled as he walked away because he wasn't wearing anything and she caught herself staring at his ass.

* * *

She yawned and then wondered what time it was. _"It must be early because I feel like I haven't slept at all. Or maybe that's just due to the exercise…_ ", she thought playfully.

She wasn't wearing a watch, but she did have her brand new phone lying on the bedside table. She picked it up and turned on the screen: 7:08am. _"Ughh! I don't want to go to work today!"_ , she thought before she swiped the lock screen.

"Whoa! 19 missed calls? From who?!", she said aloud as she was surprised. The missed calls were 10 from Charlotte's cell, 6 from Jane's cell, and 3 from the house phone.

She also saw she had a bunch of text messages like:

_Lizzie! Where are you? Call me! –Char_

_Lizzie I really need you to call me! It's urgent. – Jane_

_ELIZABETH BENNET! ANSWER YOUR FREAKING PHONE! FAMILY CRISIS! –Char_

Lizzie was alarmed by the number of times she'd been contacted and then she got really scared. _"Oh my God... Something happened to somebody! Someone is dead! Someone is in the hospital… Wait, don't get ahead of yourself. You don't know what's going on…"_ she thought as she called Charlotte's cell.

"Finally! Lizzie where have you been?! Never mind that. I'm sorry to say I've got some bad news concerning Lydia-"

"What happened to Lydia? Is she okay? Did she have an accident or something… Please tell me she wasn't driving drunk-"

"No, Lizzie! Lydia's physically fine! But personally I think she's gone crazy. She's been dating Wickham and-"

"WICKHAM?! As in George Wickham, the asshole-scumbag-sleazeball?!"

"Yes. Your ex! She's been dating him and I received a bunch of messages on YouTube asking me if the website was legit-"

"What website? What are you talking about?"

"Lizzie! Stop interrupting! I sent you the link in an email titled 'Lizzie please open this ASAP'. Have you not checked your email either? What the hell have you been up to?!"

Lizzie blushed and cleared her throat, "I…"

"Look it doesn't matter. Check your email and look at the website. Wickham and Lydia made a sex tape and somebody is selling it online!"

"Wait, WHAT? LYDIA AND WICKHAM AND A SEXTAPE?", cried Lizzie in disbelief.

"Mmhmm! Look, I've gotta go, Lizzie. I've got an early meeting with Mr. Collins and Mrs. DeBourgh. But please check your email! Oh- I've taken the liberty of telling Jane since you didn't pick up your phone. I think she's coming home soon... Bye, Lizzie. I'm so sorry…"

* * *

Darcy overheard the commotion from the laundry room when he was retrieving his shirts, and returned to Lizzie's bedroom.

"Hey, Lizzie, is everything alright?", he asked with concern evident in his voice.

Lizzie was sitting up in bed and her eyes, which were glued to her phone, began tearing up. Darcy walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder, asking, "Lizzie? What's wrong?".

His touch still made Lizzie tingle, so she shrugged his hand off of her shoulder before answering, "Everything is wrong! And it's all my fault!"

"What are you talking about? Surely, you're mistaken.", he said trying to soothe her.

She shoved her phone into his hand and said, "How can you tell me that's not my fault?! I could have prevented this! I knew how terrible he was and now look! I've gotta go home! I've got to find some way to fix this."

Darcy looked at the phone and saw a picture of George and Lydia in bed together. There was a countdown to the release date of the video.

 _"Damn it, George! Why do you keep doing this? First my younger sister and now the love of my life's younger sister."_ , he thought, shaking his head. He shifted into robot-mode and was already trying to brainstorm ways he could have the website taken down and the video release stopped.

Lizzie was frantically looking for clean underwear and clothes to put on. After she was semi-dressed, she started saying, "I gotta go. How am I gonna get home? I have to buy a plane ticket. No, no, no this can't be happening to my family! I could've warned her about him but noooo I had to be petty and continue our stupid fight."

Darcy walked over to Lizzie and held her forcefully on the shoulders so she'd calm down. She shrugged his hands off of her again. He didn't understand, but he took the hint that she didn't wanna be touched.

"Lizzie, stop it! First of all, you aren't going to go anywhere without a shirt. Second of all, this isn't your fault. You cannot blame yourself for George's actions. Lastly, I'm going to take care of your flight. Just get ready.", he declared and started punching numbers on his phone's dial pad.

"No way, Dar- I mean William. I can't let you do that, it's-"

"I insist… it's the least I could do.", he replied distractedly before leaving the room and arranging Lizzie's flight and transportation.

* * *

_"Ouch.",_ was all Lizzie could think after he said that. _"It's the least he could do."_

You see, Lizzie misinterpreted his statement. She still wasn't sure about their status and they hadn't had a chance to talk about last night and the last couple of weeks, so when he said "It's the least I can do.", she thought he was referring to their time together.

The fact that her family was now associated with the likes of Wickham, a man who caused a big rift in the Darcy family, made Lizzie think he would want nothing to do with her, and that this grand gesture was a goodbye of sorts.

Little did Lizzie know, he meant that it was the least he could do because he felt _he_ was the one at fault. He was the cause of Lizzie's anguish because he hadn't properly dealt with Wickham the last time. _"Not a mistake I shall allow myself to commit twice.",_ he resolved as he made some calls to find out as much as he could about Wickham's whereabouts.

Lizzie finished getting ready and felt depressed. She felt guilty about Lydia and about the fact that while she was having out-of-this-world sex with Darcy, her baby sister's reputation was slowly deteriorating on the internet.

"Lizzie, there's a car waiting for you outside. It will drop you off at the airport. I've ordered for the head of the flight-booking department to meet you outside and personally escort you to your seat. The plane leaves soon, however, but I can make them wait if you feel you need more time.", Darcy said as he poked his head back into Lizzie's room.

"No, I'm ready. I've got all the important stuff."

"Alright, well then let me walk you to the car. I'll be headed off to- work. If you leave the key with me, I can have Gigi come over and pack your things so we can send them to your house.", he informed her. He almost let it slip that he was going to search for Wickham. But no, he didn't want her to know. He didn't want her gratitude.

"Of course, of course. Here.", she said pulling the key out of her purse.

Darcy walked Lizzie to the car and before she got in, she said, "Thank you, Darcy.", and gave him a hug goodbye. She purposefully called him by his last name. There was no point in allowing herself the exclusivity of his first name if she was never going to see him like that again.

That made Darcy really sad. Less than an hour ago, she'd been happily calling him William and they were making progress. But now, she was back to calling him Darcy and she was going back home. _"There is no hope for us now…",_ he thought pessimistically as he took in Lizzie's scent for the last time.

She still smelled like him a little, and he couldn't help but smile at the memory. _"A memory. That's all last night will ever be… just a memory, albeit a very pleasurable one."_

When Darcy arrived at home, Gigi was just about to leave for the office. However, before she could ask about his whereabouts, he told her about Lydia and Wickham. "I have a favor to ask of you, Gigi. Can you please go to where Lizzie was staying and pack up her stuff? She's already left for the airport."

"Okay, no problem William. Anything to help out… But-"

"Not now, Gigi. Just please go do this for me- for Lizzie."

* * *

On the way to the airport, Lizzie texted Charlotte that she was on her way home and then she called Jane.

"Lizzie!"

"Janie, I'm so sorry! It's that I got a new phone and then I left it at home and ugh, just lots of little things. But I'm on my way home! Char said you might be, too?"

"Yes. I'm coming home tonight. Oh, Lizzie! Our baby sister…", she choked up. Lizzie couldn't see her but she knew that Jane was beginning to shed tears.

"I know!", Lizzie replied, also beginning to cry.

They spoke all the way until Lizzie arrived at the airport, where was greeted by the head of the flight-booking department and escorted to her seat on the plane, as promised. When she arrived back in her town, she was surprised to see a man holding a name-card that said 'Ms. Elizabeth Bennet'. _"I guess this was Darcy's doing. I was just gonna take a cab home but… wow. Thanks, Darcy."_ , she thought longingly. He had been so nice to her.

* * *

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were pleasantly surprised when Lizzie arrived. When asked why she was back, she said she really missed everyone and needed to see them. She also mentioned her independent study was mostly complete and that she could work on the rest at home. _"Which reminds me, I've got to let Dr. Gardiner know…"_

Lizzie eagerly awaited Lydia, but she didn't arrive until way after Jane had come home. The Bennets were even more surprised because now both daughters had returned. Mrs. Bennet was fussing because they hadn't let her know ahead of time.

"If I'd have known y'all were comin' back, I'd have fixed your rooms a little. Why, I turned Lizzie's room into my meditation room and I turned Jane's room into my sewing center. I just assumed you two would find lovely boys to move in with. Well _you_ did, Jane! How's Bing?! Why didn't he come with you?"

"Mom, Bing is fine. He's in school and can't just follow me around everywhere. Besides, I didn't live with him in L.A. I had my own apartment.", replied Jane calmly.

"Oh! I just thought that when y'all got back together y'all had moved in together. You know, you two could use a lesson or two from your youngest sister. Lydia knows best! You two should be ashamed. She's been datin' that nice young swimmer man for a while now and sometimes, she doesn't come home! Ha ha! Now don't tell your father. Well, anyway, you two are going to have to share Lizzie's room because I've grown quite fond of havin' my own space. Hmm."

Lizzie and Jane decided to let their father know what was going on. From the conversation they'd just had with their mother, they knew it would not be wise to tell her. They spoke to him after dinner and it was the first time they'd seen their father shed a tear in a long time.

At first he was livid, but then that slowly faded into a deep sadness. He felt sorry for his daughter; sorry his family's name; and sorry that he had been oblivious to this man's intentions. When Lizzie told him Wickham was her ex, Mr. Bennet said, "I knew he looked familiar! But you were right, Lizzie. I should've taken more interest in my girls' boyfriends. The fact that he would date his ex-girlfriend's little sister is a red flag…"

They had a really long conversation and Lizzie showed him some of the videos. He knew everything now. Well, only everything everyone else knew; because no one knew about her and Darcy's night together…

* * *

…except Gigi. When Gigi arrived at Lizzie's place, she saw empty bottles of wine in the living room, and she found an expensive looking sock near the foot of the bed, which looked kind of like the ones her older brother wears.

"I see…", Gigi said as she began packing up Lizzie's stuff. Gigi wasn't stupid; she put two and two together and came to the conclusion that "Darcy spent the night with Lizzie". She smirked to herself and thought, _"At least something good happened lately…"_

* * *

Lizzie went in the den to film a video. She needed _something_ to do while she waited for Lydia to show up. She updated the viewers with what was going on with the website, and pleaded them not to give the website any attention.

When Lydia arrived, she was on the phone. "Hey, call me back. I know you're busy but I miss you. It's been days since we last spoke and since we… well, you know. Call me soon,'kay? Love you."

"Hey, Lydia!", Lizzie said trying to get her attention before she went up the stairs.

"Oh, you're back. Grreaatt.", Lydia replied sarcastically.

This made Lizzie angry and she released everything she feared for her sister.

"Are you crazy, Lydia?! How could you do something like this? This type of thing can follow you around forever. You might not be able to get a decent job because of this!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Wickham!"

"He said you'd be jealous of us! I don't care!"

She got up to walk away but Lizzie pulled her back down and handed her the phone.

"What's this?", Lydia said when she saw the picture of her and George in bed on the website.

 _"She had no idea…",_ Lizzie thought disgustedly after Lydia ran up to her bedroom crying. It's not that Lizzie thought that Lydia would normally do something like this, it's just that she had underestimated Wickham. She didn't know he could be so cruel. That was why she assumed Lydia was in on it. But now she felt even more guilt-ridden after accusing her sister of being a part of it.

"Better let Jane and Dad know…", she said sadly as she left the den in search of her father.

* * *

**Lizzie's finally home! So hmm, how will Lizzie's pregnancy fit in with this scandal? Stay tuned to find out.**

**I think Lizzie may find out she's prego next chapter or the chapter after next at the latest. And don't worry, I'm not planning on keeping Darcy and Lizzie separated for too long. ;)**

**How do you guys think everyone's going to react? I can't wait to write Mrs. Bennet's reaction LOL and Catherine DeBourgh's! ^.^  
**

_Also, if your guys are interested, I made some LBD-inspired sims! http://nanie93.tumblr.com/post/46795180466/lizzie-bennet-diaries-sims-3-edition-lol-lbd_


	7. Wickham Time

**I stretched out the Lydia/Wickham arc to give Lizzie enough time to find out she's pregnant... You guys will see what I mean. At the end of this chapter she'll be a little over a month pregnant already. Thanks to FF user SOLYAHU who inspired part of this chapter and the next!  
**

**This is a long one! About 5K!**

* * *

Lizzie was in the den making a video to kill time. It had been a few days since she'd been at home and there hadn't been any progress on finding Wickham, so she was very antsy. She was confessing how guilty she felt to the camera, when Jane walked in.

"I just feel really bad. Like this is all my fault. If only I hadn't been fighting with her! I-"

"Whoa, whoa, Lizzie, sweetie this isn't your fault. George made his choices and he should be the one to carry the burden of the consequences, not you. And just to update you, Dad called and said he's on his way back; his detective buddy couldn't dig anything up on Wickham's whereabouts.", Jane said with a sigh.

Lizzie chuckled. "You know, you sound kind of like Da-…. Nevermind. But umm Janie, when are you going back to LA? Fashion Week starts soon and I'm sure Bing misses you."

Darcy had said something similar when Lizzie had been blaming herself after she found out in San Francisco and she almost said it aloud. In order for Darcy to have found out about Lydia, she had to have been with him at 7 in the morning; and to explain why would have been very difficult. _"…this isn't your fault. You cannot blame yourself for George's actions…"_ is what he said. Has it really only been a few days since she had woken up next to him?

Jane shook her head sadly and faked a smile. It didn't light up her eyes like it always did, so Lizzie knew wasn't genuine. "Don't worry about it, it's just a job…"

"Wait, tell me what happened, Janie. Is everything alright?"

"Well, I told my boss I had a family emergency as soon as Charlotte called me. He said I was crazy if I thought there'd be a job waiting for me when I returned. So the day we both arrived was my last day. After work, Bing dropped me off at the airport and now I'm unemployed… But it's worth it. I'd be miserable over there knowing that I'm not supporting my baby sister."

"But Jane! She doesn't come out of her room. She doesn't answer our calls. She doesn't listen to us when we try to speak to her through the door… You could've been working at Fashion Week! It could've been something positive in all this mess…"

"It's okay, Lizzie. It just wasn't meant to be, that's all. Something better will come along; just you wait and see… By the way, have you watched her videos?"

"Nope. I tried but I feel sick to my stomach seeing her with that bastard."

"Well, maybe you should. We may think she's not listening to us but she is… more than we know. Now stop moping, and let's help Mom finish off the muffins."

"Mmmm! Muffins!", Lizzie said excitedly, cheered up by the thought of food. She had missed her mother's cooking while she was away and now consumed as much of it as she could.

"Girls! Come take some of these chocolate chip muffins to Lydia! And some milk, too! Nothin' like a full stomach to distract you from an broken heart!", their mother called from the kitchen. To explain Lydia's mood and the absence of the 'nice young swimmer', they'd all told Mrs. Bennet that they had broken up.

* * *

While the Bennets were at home feeling restless and doing their best, Darcy was out and about doing what he could to stop the release of the tape. He had taken Fitz into his confidence and asked him to assist him. He hadn't returned to work since the day Lizzie left and Gigi was worried about him. He didn't tell her what he was doing because he didn't want her involved. _"In no way do I wish to return to the way our relationship was last year. Wickham only brings trouble and we do not need to talk about him.",_ he thought as he texted Gigi back.

She'd wanted to know what he was planning to do about the tape. He said nothing; not involving Gigi was for the best…

She called him while he was awaiting a fax from the porn company that had the rights to the sex tape.

 _"Is she using the Domino demo? Really Gigi?",_ he thought angrily but that faded into concern for his sister's emotional state. He ended their conversation abruptly in order to stop her from pressing him.

The fax ended up being useless and he punched the table in anger. _"Damn it!"_

* * *

A couple of weeks had passed and Lizzie was wallowing in desperation and guilt because the release date was just a couple of days away and still no sign of Wickham or any way to stop the release. She was filming to relieve stress, when Lydia appeared out of nowhere.

Nobody had actually seen Lydia for weeks. She came out when everybody else was asleep or out. She took the food they left outside her door and left the empty plates and cups outside. She had her own bathroom, so she really didn't need to run into anybody.

Lydia finally broke down in front of Lizzie. They shared a moment of mutual grief and guilt and shame, and they cried together.

"Lydia, _I_ love you. _Mom and Dad and Jane_ love you. you're Mary's _best friend_. Your family loves you and we will be here for you no matter what, you got that? You are loved, Lydia, and I'm sorry if any of us ever made you feel like you weren't.", Lizzie said through tears, while rocking Lydia in her arms.

"It's just that... you never called. And Jane never called. When I called Jane, she was super busy and I thought it'd be best if I just didn't bother, you know? And George; he made me think you guys were against me… and I believed him!"

"It's okay Lydia. He's a manipulative asshole and he picked on you when you were weak."

"But he's _my_ manipulative asshole, Lizzie! I am still _in love_ with him! And I thought he loved me too…"

"Lydia, it's not your fault! How many times do we have to tell you?!"

"But it feels like it is…", Lydia said, letting the tears flow freely.

"You know what? I don't wanna hear you talking like this anymore. Let's go to the kitchen and eat some food, okay? Mom made four-cheese lasagna last night with some apple pie for dessert and there's plenty of left-overs! I put some in the oven to heat up a little while ago and I can smell it already…", Lizzie suggested.

"Really? I can't smell anything.", Lydia said sniffing, as Lizzie dragged her towards the kitchen.

* * *

Lizzie had gained a couple of pounds; nothing too noticeable. Her appetite had increased a lot in the past few weeks and she began eating at least two helpings of food for most meals. Nobody really noticed except her mother. She was just glad someone was enjoying her cooking and she always believed her girls were all too skinny. Mrs. Bennet was full-figured herself and she just felt her daughters should be a little plumper.

Not to mention her sense of smell had gotten much better. She could smell her mother's food way before she called everyone over for each meal.

Lizzie had also been napping a lot. Jane noticed that, but attributed it to Lizzie staying up late researching Novelty Exposures and searching for Wickham. They shared Lizzie's room now, so she knew pretty much what Lizzie was up to all day.

Lizzie didn't notice any of these things. And she especially didn't notice when her period didn't come. She was too caught up in Lydia's drama to pay attention to herself.

* * *

Darcy seemed to locate a number that may belong to Wickham but had no way to track it or find out who it belonged to. He got it from one of the 'street sources' he'd hired. He was back at Pemberley Digital but as soon as he heard there was a lead, he called Fitz and they started working together to find him again. It turned out to be a dead end. Unless someone picked up that phone, there was no way to track it.

Darcy sighed and said to Fitz, "I think I'm going to have to buy Novelty Exposures."

"What?! Darcy do you know how that's going to look?"

"I know, I know. If any of our partners or investors find out I acquisitioned a pornographic business, we would be in danger of them backing out of Pemberley… but I don't think I have another choice. I can't let that scumbag win, and if that tape gets out Lydia will be ruined…"

"Darcy, dude, you are either incredibly dumb, or a really good person. And right now, I can't make up my mind.", Fitz joked.

Darcy smiled but he wasn't happy. He'd wanted to avoid doing this. This could really mess up the reputation of what his father had worked so hard on. _"But I've got to do this for Lizzie… I can't stand to think what she'll feel like if this gets out. And I won't be there to comfort her…"_

It took a few days, but on the day that the video was supposed to be released, the site was taken down. William Darcy was now the sole proprietor of Novelty Exposures, the porn company. The paperwork took longer than expected because the original owners didn't believe someone was really willing to pay millions for their business, and they thought someone just wanted to uncover their identities. But finally, he had access to all their records and he had the company's copies of Lydia's video destroyed. He also had a P.O. Box where they sent a check as payment for the video. The P.O. Box's address was in LA, so at least they knew he was somewhere nearby.

* * *

It was Valentine's Day and Mrs. Bennet was baking heart-shaped cookies, which Lizzie was practically drooling for. To distract herself until they were done, Lizzie decided to film a video cursing George Wickham's name and wishing she'd never met him. But soon after she'd started recording, Lydia walked in and announced the site had been taken down.

"WHAT?! Seriously?!", Lizzie asked, taken aback completely.

"Mmhmm. I don't know who or why but it's gone.", Lydia said, hoping that maybe it was George who had come to the rescue.

"This is great! Let's go tell Dad and Jane!", Lizzie said excitedly as she looked at the deactivated website on her phone.

"Oh and thank you to whoever did this! Thank you, thank you, thank you! We appreciate it so very much.", Lizzie added quickly before shutting off the camera and hugging Lydia.

* * *

Later that night, Darcy watched her video and felt relieved. _"I did it. I stopped it. Look at her, she looks so happy. She's practically glowing."_ , Darcy thought as he smiled to himself. His thoughts quickly went back to another time when he had made Lizzie glow with happiness. He tried not to think about their night together, and stopping the release of the tape had taken up much of his thoughts for the past weeks. But now that it was stopped, he was, for the most part, relaxed and Lizzie took up the majority of his brain space again.

However, Gigi would put an end to that relaxation. She called him and gave him something new to worry about.

"William, I'm glad you've stopped the release of the video! It's really honorable what you did, and I know you did it for Lizzie, so you should tell her! But before you lecture me on staying out of your business, hear what I have to say. I think we should continue looking for George…"

"But why?"

"Because George isn't stupid, William! He could have kept a copy of the tape for himself!"

"If he releases that video anywhere else, he'd be breaching his contract with Novelty Exposures and we could sue him. He's a money-man, Georgiana. You, of all people, should know that.", Darcy replied, flinching at the last part of his speech. He didn't mean for it to come out like that.

"I know, William, but I know from experience that George doesn't always do as told.", Gigi said blinking rapidly to hold back the tears. She knew her brother hadn't meant to hurt her, but it did sting.

"What do you mean, Gigi?"

"So, while George and I were… living together… we umm kind of made a tape of our own… and wait- please don't say anything, William, just hear me out. It was supposed to be just for fun. But then I told him to delete it and he did, right in front of me. But one day, I was snooping around and saw that he backed it up onto a DVD. All it said was "Gigi' in permanent marker. I thought maybe it was pictures we'd taken on our trips together… yes bro, we went on vacations together… but umm, yea. But it wasn't pictures. It was the video I thought he'd deleted. So he backs his stuff up, Will. He isn't dumb."

Gigi was blushing profusely and was so embarrassed and ashamed and she thought her brother would be angry with her. He wasn't, though.

"What did you do with the video?" was all Darcy asked.

Gigi was shocked and was expecting him to yell like he had last year, when they had been fighting about George.

"I broke the disc into tiny pieces and burned it in the fireplace… and then I checked everywhere for any others. You see, we have to look for him! I don't think he was looking to make money off of mine, but with Lydia's he was, so it'd make sense for him to keep a copy!"

"I see your point. Thank you… for sharing, Gigi. I'll look into that number again. Good night, Gigi. I love you.", he said, hoping to break the tension.

"I love you, too, big brother.", replied Gigi with a smile.

* * *

The next day, Gigi was doing the Domino demo and called Fitz to find out any updates on the number; she was still kind of iffy about calling Darcy. She had promised Fitz she would only text Wickham, but she called and left him a message. When he called her back, she couldn't not pick up.

"Hey, Peach!"

"Hey… George, where are you?", Gigi said with her eyes beginning to water. She hadn't spoken to him since the day he walked out of her condo with a check between his fingers.

"How are you doing, Gigi? It's been a while. I miss your pretty little face."

"George, seriously! Where are you? We need to talk."

"What does this button do?... Click for video…" *click*

"No, don't press that!"

"Oh hey, Gigi! Wow, you are as beautiful as I remember... Do you still wear that perfume I like? You know, the one with-"

"George Wickham, do you know you almost ruined her life with that website?!"

"I had nothing to do with that, the tape was stolen. I loved her- wait, what do you mean _almost_ ruined her life?"

"The website is down, George! How could you do that to her?"

"Well, that's good! Whoever stole our tape must have felt bad about it! I'm glad for her 'cause that must've been really tough…", he said with a fake smile and flaring nostrils. He was actually really angry.

"George _where are you_ , so we can talk? I know that website wasn't it. I know there's more-"

"Look, I gotta go… Bye."

"George Wickham, tell me where you are! Don't hang up!"

Gigi started sobbing at the end of the call. That was so emotionally draining for her. She felt disgusted that she had once loved that man.

*Incoming call from WILLIAM DARCY*

"Gigi, did you call Wickham?"

"I'm sorry, William, don't be mad! I just-"

"No, don't apologize! You got him to download Domino. He accepted the Terms of Service…We can track him. I just got an email in regards to the unknown number."

"Really?!"

"Yes. Good job, Gigi. Now seriously, leave the rest to me."

Darcy was so excited. Finally after all this time, he could find Wickham and give him the ass-kicking he deserved.

* * *

But while Gigi and Darcy were busy talking, Wickham was researching how the website had been taken down. He emailed one of the previous owners, who emailed back almost immediately, boasting that he was now a millionaire and that some dude named Darcy bought out his company.

George was fuming.

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK! Darcy, you piece of SHIT! Ahhhhh!", he screamed.

He was kicking and punching the inside of the van he'd bought with the money from the tape. He was living in it and was hiding out until the real money would start rolling in, but apparently that would never happen now, thanks to Darcy.

He owed a load of money to some people. George was a gambler and was counting on this money to pay back his debts and to start a clean slate in a different state.

"I guess I have no other choice now…", he thought mischievously as he texted Lydia. He was going to blackmail her.

* * *

Lydia had been watching a movie with Lizzie in the living room, but had gone into the kitchen to get some snacks. Lizzie had a sudden craving for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, so Lydia had just gone to the kitchen when her phone buzzed.

"Lydia! Somebody texted you!", Lizzie yelled.

"It's Mary! Just text her back saying, 'Yea, I'd like to sleep over.'"

"'Kay!"

But when Lizzie read the text message it wasn't Mary. It was Wickham.

_From: Babe  
_

_Lydia, you stupid bitch! Did you really think I was in love with you? I wasn't! And don't think you're safe just because you got Darcy to take the site down._

_I still have the original video and I'm not afraid to sell it. I know some people who would definitely get off on a slutty ginger like you._

_Call me so I can tell you where to meet me so we can have a little chat. And if you tell anyone, I'll put the video up on every porn website I can think of, for free._

_And I'll send it in an email to everyone you know. CALL ME, PEACH._

Lizzie gasped and she started tearing up. "No way! Wickham is so evil! And wait a minute… _Darcy_ took it down? Really? Why? I better call him…", whispered to herself.

She had thought many times about calling Darcy since she'd last seen him but never had the guts. Now, though, she was calling on behalf of her baby sister.

"Lizzie?", Darcy said, not even trying to conceal the surprise in voice.

"Hi, Darcy. I umm… know that it was you that took down the website and thank you sooo much for that, really-"

"It's okay.", he said matter-of-factly. _"This was what I didn't want! Who told her?!"_

"Well, I'm sure my family will find some way to make it up to you. But that's not why I'm calling. I have Lydia's phone, and Wickham just texted her! He's basically black-mailing her! He says he has an original copy of the video and I just thought to call you since you were the one who took the site down…", Lizzie replied in a hushed voice. She didn't want Lydia to hear.

"What?! That bastard! Excuse me. But it's okay! I know where he is. I can track his location with Pemberley's new Domino application."

"What the hell is that? Have I really been gone _that_ long?"

Darcy almost laughed. "It's fairly new. It was released for a beta test shortly after you'd gone. Gigi called him and-"

"Wait, what?! Gigi spoke to him? Is she okay?"

"She's fine. She just really wanted to help find him and she did. She was the one who got him to download the app. I'm headed to his location as we speak."

"Wait! Where is he? I have a couple of words I'd like to share with him!"

"He's in LA. That's quite a distance from where you are…"

"I don't care! Come on Darce, it's my baby sister we're talking about here."

"Alright. Well, what I can do is confirm his location for myself and then when you get here, we ambush him together." _"Together."_ , they both thought that sounded really nice.

"Sure thing. Give me the address and I'll find a way to get there."

"Lizzie, don't be ridiculous. I'll have a car pick you up and take you to one of my private planes. I would prefer that you fly commercially, but we don't have the time for that."

"Alright. Thanks, Darcy.", she said in awe. _"There he goes again, being super nice. After he bought up a company to save my sister!",_ she thought astonished.

"No problem, Lizzie. I'll text you any necessary information. I've got to call some people and make arrangements."

"Okay, bye."

"See you later, Lizzie."

Darcy couldn't believe it. He was going to see Lizzie again in a few hours. He thought he'd never see her again. Well, not never because Bing and Jane were dating, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon. And they were going to be alone together. " _The last time we were alone together…"._ He shook his head. _"Thinking about sex with Lizzie Bennet is best left to a time when you're not driving."_

* * *

Lizzie had to think of an excuse as to where she was going and a way to keep Lydia from receiving texts from Wickham. She quickly texted him back saying

To: Babe

_I'll call you in a few days. I need time to think. Why would you do this to me? Never mind; answer me when we meet face-to-face._

_Don't text me or call because if any of my family members see that you're contacting me, they'll get the police on you._

From: Babe

_Fine. But don't think too hard. Call me or I will make this tape VIRAL._

She deleted his texts and texted back Mary for Lydia. Hopefully sleeping over at Mary's will keep Wickham off of Lydia's mind.

 _"What a heartless bastard!",_ Lizzie thought angrily _. "How am I gonna get out of here? Hmmm… I know! I can say Dr. Gardiner found me my last company to interview for my independent study… It's a bit of a stretch but they won't know the difference, right?"_

Lizzie set Lydia's phone down and when she got back she told her the 'good news'.

"…But it'll only be for a couple days I think. I'll be back with you before you know it! I'm kind of glad you're going to Mary's for a few days."

"Yeah, no prob. It's for school so I totally get it."

Lizzie smiled but inside she felt horrible for lying to Lydia. _"It's for her own good. If she knew what Wickham wanted to do, she would go into a major depressive state. She is just starting to get better."_

"Well, lemme go tell Jane and Mom and Dad. By the way, the sandwiches are soo good! You think you can whip me up a couple more for the road? A car is on its way to come pick me up and I would love to have some of these later on."

"Sure thing, sis!", Lydia said excitedly and hopped up to make more. She liked feeling useful.

Lizzie explained the situation to everyone. No one seemed to suspect anything. Jane probably would have, but she was currently talking to Bing on Skype.

* * *

The car arrived and she was on her way to the airport. She knew she was going in order to confront Wickham, but she couldn't help but think of Darcy. She thought about him on the plane as well. But as soon as the time to meet him again approached, she felt nervous. She absent-mindedly smoothed down her dress and hair as she waited for Darcy's jet.

Darcy was impatiently awaiting Lizzie's arrival. After speaking with Lizzie earlier, he had rented an inconspicuous looking car- something Wickham would never suspect him of driving- and proceeded to find the coordinates that the Domino application had provided for him. He reached the area where Wickham was, but then showed some kid a picture of Wickham and asked him if he'd seen him around. He had. He was staking out in a van in the motel parking lot. "Thanks, kid.", Darcy said and gave the kid fifty dollars.

It took everything he had not to go barging in on that van and knock Wickham out, but he knew Lizzie was on her way, so he took note of the address and left to pick her up.

When Lizzie finally walked out and he first laid eyes on her, his heart swelled and he felt whole again. He didn't realize it until then, but he had been feeling like a piece was missing since she'd left him in San Francisco.

He cleared his throat before saying, "Hello, Lizzie. You look well. I hope your flight went smoothly." What he really wanted to say was _"Lizzie you're even more beautiful than I remember and I missed you so much.",_ but obviously he wasn't going to tell her that.

Lizzie cleared her throat as well and replied, "Hi, Darcy. Thanks. It was good…". The nervousness was on full blast.

They stood there awkwardly for another few seconds before Darcy said, "Well, it's getting late so I don't think it'd be best to confront Wickham now. I know his location and I have somebody watching him in case he leaves. I… uh… booked us rooms in a nearby bed and breakfast. I didn't think it'd be wise to rent a room in the same motel where he's staying because he might recognize us… is that alright?"

"Oh. Okay, yeah that's good.", Lizzie replied. _"Separate rooms… of course. I guess he forgot about that night. It's for the best, I guess.",_ Lizzie thought irritatedly as she followed Darcy to the car.

"What's this?", Lizzie said when they got to the car.

"Oh, this is a car I rented."

Lizzie burst out laughing. "Not that I'm used to driving around in Range Rovers and Rolls Royces but _William Darcy_ in a Toyota Camry?"

They fell into an easy conversation after that; with Lizzie teasing Darcy and him retaliating. Like old times; before sex complicated everything.

They were nearing the B&B, when all of a sudden Lizzie's stomach growled loudly. _"That's the second time in front of him."_ , Lizzie thought as her face reddened out of embarrassment.

"Aren't they feeding you at home?", he teased.

They stopped at a nice-looking taco shop and the teasing continued. " _You_ eat tacos?"

* * *

Darcy thought they were having a nice time but then Lizzie started dozing off. He was discouraged by this and started thinking that maybe the chemistry they had before was gone now. But Lizzie was having a good time; it was just that the growing baby was sucking the life out of her and she hadn't napped today (she was too nervous on the plane).

Darcy and Lizzie got to the B&B and then he walked her to her room. This was eerily similar to their last night together. That was on both their minds but this time, it was Darcy that invited himself in.

"Lizzie, I'd like to talk about tomorrow. Do you mind if I come in for a few minutes?"

"Sure.", Lizzie said. She was too tired to care anymore.

Lizzie sat on her bed and Darcy sat in a chair at a little table in a corner of the room. He informed her that tomorrow afternoon they were going to confront Wickham for the tape and if he didn't give it up willingly, he would threaten to sue for copyright infringement.

"Sounds like a plan.", she said yawning. She was obviously tired because she had laid back on the bed , so Darcy tucked her in. He guided her sleepy body to the bed and had her lay down. He took off her shoes and covered her up. He didn't dare try to help her into her pajamas lest he come off a pervert (but come on, Darcy, you've seen each other naked already).

Lizzie was slipping quickly into dreamland but managed to mumble a "Thanks, Will." before falling into a deep and restful sleep.

Darcy smiled at the name. Nobody called him that; not even Gigi. He sighed as he looked back at her and turned off the light. Tomorrow they would face Wickham. Together.

* * *

**Next chapter 100% chance of her finding out she's preggers. I promise.**


	8. This Young Lady is 'With Child'

**Warning: There's some violence in this chapter.** **But on a good note, yay they finally find out she's preggers! :D**

**Also, it's a long one! Over 5K!**

* * *

The next day arrived and Darcy went over to Lizzie's room to go over the plan again. She was sleepy last night and he didn't know how much she remembered. He knocked on her door close to lunch time because he didn't want to bother her too early in the morning.

Lizzie was glad he didn't show up earlier because she was puking all morning. _"Stupid tacos!",_ she thought as she got ready for the day. The tacos were not to blame, however. It was her newly sensitive stomach.

She heard a knock and went to open the door. She already knew it was going to be Darcy, so she smoothed out her dress (no way was she going to wear tight jeans with her nausea) and hair before opening the door.

"Hi, Darcy.", she said as she let him into her room.

"Hello, Lizzie. Did you sleep well?", he asked trying to mask his disappointment. She didn't remember calling him Will last night. _"Oh well."_

"Yes. Just fine, thanks. And you?". She emitted the fact that she spent the last couple of hours throwing up.

"Fine as well.", he lied. He tossed and turned for a majority of the night. He couldn't get the fact that she was only one room away from him out of his head.

They discussed confronting Wickham and then Darcy offered to get lunch before heading out, but Lizzie rejected the invitation. He'd taken it as a sign that she didn't really want to hang out with him. Really, she just didn't want to risk throwing up again.

He went down and ate some of the lunch the B&B had and then went to get Lizzie. It was now show time.

* * *

Darcy parked his inconspicuous car near the motel where Wickham's van was stationed. They did a little bit of staking out and then saw him exit the van.

"Let's ambush him now.", Darcy said as he exited the car.

They made their way towards Wickham and stopped him on his way inside the motel.

"George! We want to speak to you.", Darcy said to get Wickham's attention.

He turned around and chuckled at the pair.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't Darcy and Lizzie… What are you two doing in these parts?", he asked with a sadistic smile.

"We're here about Lydia, you bastard! How dare you do that to my sister?!", Lizzie said angrily.

"Whoa, whoa! I didn't do anything she didn't want me to, okay? She was very willing and _very_ vocal while we were making the tape."

"George, please. You're upsetting Lizzie.", Darcy intervened. He was trying to keep a cool head since they were in public and was leading the group to the side of the motel so their conversation could be a little more private.

"Awww! I'm upsetting Lizzie? What are you now? Her boyfriend?", he asked tauntingly. Then he laughed to himself and said, "Yeah right! I tried to get in her pants and failed miserably. If I couldn't do it, I doubt you could."

Lizzie was so angry at his cockiness and she got up real close to his face and said, "Actually, _Will_ and I slept together not too long ago and it was easily the best sex I've ever had! I doubt you could've done a better job!"

Darcy was in shock. His jaw was practically on the floor and his face was reddening.

Wickham was surprised too and believed it after seeing Darcy's reaction. They had grown up together and they knew all of each other's mannerisms and tell-tale signs, so he knew that if it had been a lie, he would've started nodding in agreement instead of reddening.

After a few seconds, Wickham collected himself and retorted, "Why don't you compare notes with your sister?"

Lizzie's first reaction was to slap him hard.

Wickham was not a woman beater. He was cruel and manipulative, but he had never had to use physical force to get what he wanted. This wasn't his finest moment, though, and he was in a foul mood over losing the chance to make money off the tape and pay off his debts, so he hit Lizzie back.

Darcy had been watching their volatile exchange with thinning patience but that was the last straw. Wickham struck Lizzie after she slapped him and Darcy reacted.

Darcy punched Wickham square in the jaw and knocked him back. Wickham landed flat on his back didn't stay there long. As Darcy tended to Lizzie, asking her if she was alright and checking her face ever so tenderly, Wickham struck from behind. He had always been an opportunist; so why not attack Darcy while he had his back turned?

He punched Darcy really hard on his side, causing him double over.

"Will!", Lizzie exclaimed worriedly.

 _"Hmm, it seems she only calls me that when she's not thinking properly…",_ Darcy thought to himself as he caught his breath. Thinking about Lizzie made the punch not hurt as much.

"Lizzie, why don't you go back to the car? This obviously didn't turn out as planned. I'll handle it from here."

"What are you gonna do?", Lizzie asked with concern.

"We are going to fight. This has been meaning to happen for years now. We always were too competitive."

Lizzie nodded and left the little alley they had entered. On her way out, though, she picked up some keys she had seen Wickham drop.

* * *

That's the only reason she had agreed to go. Wickham's keys had fallen from his pocket when he fell to the ground from Darcy's initial punch and she was going to go open his van and search for the copy of Lydia's tape. As soon as she finds it, she is going to destroy it and go help Darcy.

She got to the van and opened the side door. She entered and closed the door behind her. She searched frantically, trying not to mess too much up. She didn't want Wickham to know the tape was missing until they were long gone.

Meanwhile, Darcy and Wickham had some unfinished business. After Lizzie left, Darcy had cracked his knuckles and said, "Bring it on, George."

Wickham tried to punch Darcy's face but missed and Darcy took that opportunity to punch Wickham again. This time he drew some blood from Wickham's mouth.

"Ohhhh, so you've toughened up since we last spoke… Alright.", said Wickham before charging at Darcy again.

Darcy stopped Wickham's punches but couldn't avoid a kick to the shin. What a low blow. But he should've seen that coming; Wickham doesn't fight fair.

In the van, Lizzie found a digital camera with an SD card inside. She checked the camera and saw various pictures of Lydia and Wickham making out in bed. Then she saw a video. She clicked the play button and saw Lydia covered in blankets on a bed that seemed to be directly across from the camera.

"You ready, babe?", said Wickham off-camera.

Lydia looked really nervous but nodded yes.

Then, Wickham's bare bottom made its way on-screen and Lizzie could watch no more. That was all the confirmation she needed to conclude that this was the raw footage of Lydia's tape.

She felt so angry and then she felt like throwing up again. Lydia's uncertain facial expression in the camera wouldn't leave her mind _. "If only I had been there for her…"_ , she started to beat herself up. But then she snapped out of it. She began looking around again and didn't find any hardcopies of the tape, so she exited the van with the memory card in hand and prayed that he didn't have any others.

* * *

Darcy and Wickham had been fighting for at least 15 minutes; throwing punches back and forth when finally, it seemed as if Darcy's stamina had beat Wickham's. Wickham hadn't swum in months and he was a little out of shape.

As Lizzie got close to the little alley, she saw Darcy had straddled Wickham and was about to punch him.

"This one is for Lydia, you sick bastard!"

*PUNCH*

"This one is for Lizzie! How dare you put your hands on her?"

*PUNCH*

"If you ever put your hands on her again, you'll have me to deal with!"

*PUNCH*

"And this one… This one is for Gigi you, sadistic, life-ruining piece of shit!"

*SUPER HARD PUNCH*

"You broke my sister's heart and you tore our relationship apart! Gigi wouldn't speak a kind word to me for months! She blamed me for your deception and I will never forgive you, George Wickham!"

*FINAL PUNCH*

That was the most cathartic thing Darcy had ever experienced. He had been feeling that pent-up aggression towards Wickham since the fiasco with Gigi and now he felt relief.

Lizzie saw the whole thing and was taken aback. She didn't know he had been feeling like that. He had punched Wickham for her honor and for the honor of her baby sister and that meant a lot to her. Not that she condoned violence, but Wickham wouldn't understand any other way. To deal with him legally, they'd have to involve Lydia and she was just starting to heal. They handled this vigilante-style. And since the copy of the tape was legally property of Novelty Exposures, Wickham couldn't report the copy stolen.

Darcy got up and turned around to find Lizzie smiling at him.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that, Lizzie... Do you mind if we go back to the bed and breakfast? I'm exhausted."

"Sure. By the way, that asshole deserved every punch.", she replied looking back at Wickham, who was trying to get up from the floor.

On the way back, Lizzie told him she found the memory card with the video on it and that she was going to destroy it.

* * *

When they got back to the B&B, Darcy intended to drop Lizzie off at her door and then go back to his room and rest, but Lizzie didn't let him.

"Dar-, I mean William, I can't leave you alone like this. Your face is swelling up…", she said as she touched his cheek.

He winced and she said, "Yeah, you're definitely not going anywhere. Come here."

She opened the door and pushed him toward a chair.

"I think I saw a first aid kit around here somewhere…", Lizzie said while scavenging around in the bathroom. "Ahh here we are."

She returned with it and started to tend to Darcy's facial wounds. He was kind of holding his side and then Lizzie remembered he got punched there.

"Hey Will, let me see your side."

"No, it's okay, I'm fine-"

But Lizzie wasn't having any of that. She began removing Darcy's button-up shirt.

Darcy chuckled to himself as he stared at Lizzie taking off his shirt.

"What's so funny?", asked Lizzie after removing his shirt. He wasn't wearing an undershirt this time around.

"It's just that… well, this is a very similar situation to the last time we saw each other…"

Lizzie started laughing once she realized what he meant.

"Yeah, you're right. Except this time around there's no alcohol to cloud our judgment.", Lizzie said with a nervous laugh. She was being defensive. She didn't want him to think he'd hurt her feelings or anything.

Darcy would have just let it rest but he remembered what she said in front of Wickham, so he decided now would be the best time to bring it up.

"The alcohol didn't cloud my judgment. It just made it easier to do what I had dreamed of doing for months…", he confessed. He decided to put it all on the table. He felt a huge emotional load was off his shoulders now and he didn't want to hold anything back anymore.

"Really? Well then… me too." She said as she finished tending to his side.

Lizzie was usually a woman of words but right now, that was all she could muster.

She started to feel light-headed and almost fell but Darcy caught her. She was in his arms and on his lap. He was shirtless and she was breathless and before they knew it, they were kissing.

At first, passionately, but then more softly due to Darcy's injuries. They were at it for a while and then Lizzie's stomach growled, causing them to burst out laughing.

"Seriously, Lizzie?", Darcy asked helping her off his lap.

"I didn't eat lunch… I was scared to throw up. "

"Wait, are you ill? Do you need to go to a doctor?"

"No, it's alright. I think it was the tacos or something."

"Oh, okay. I apologize. I selected the taco shop."

"It's okay. I'm actually starving right now… but look at the time. Isn't my flight soon?"

"Yes it is. But it's okay. I can postpone it... Actually, I'd like to accompany you if that's alright. I don't feel right letting you go alone."

"That's perfectly fine with me.", she said as she gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"So where would you like to eat?", Darcy asked as they headed towards the door. He was tired but Lizzie had rejuvenated him.

* * *

While they waited for the plane at the airport terminal, Darcy grabbed Lizzie's hand and said, "I'm glad we're flying commercial. You don't know how worried I was to have you fly on the jet the other day."

"I would have been terrified, but my mind was focused on you the whole time, actually.", Lizzie confessed. "Do you often fly on jets?"

"I try my best to board scheduled flights. I'm secretly afraid of small planes. Statistics indicate that accidents are more likely on smaller planes and my uncle died in one many years ago…"

"Really? I'm so sorry! Promise me you'll do your best to never board one again.", Lizzie demanded. She couldn't bare to lose him like that; not when they finally were united.

"Yes, it was my uncle; Aunt Catherine's husband. After his death, she became really bitter. She hasn't always been so uppity… And yes. I promise to do my best to avoid jets from now on; especially now that I have you to look forward to."

***Now boarding Flight 347***

* * *

They got up and boarded the plane, hand in hand. They were the only ones in first class so they could talk without being overheard. They talked about _everything_.

He told how happy he'd been when he saw her at Pemberley and that he was glad she liked his company and his home. Lizzie mentioned that she'd been feeling something for him for awhile now and he said his feelings had never fled; that they'd only gotten stronger after getting to know her better.

Darcy, being the competitive man that he was, asked Lizzie if what she told Wickham was true. Lizzie blushed and said, "I can't believe I actually said that. But I was so mad! And yes. It's true! I have never felt anything even remotely close to how you made me feel and I don't regret it at all."

Darcy felt a surge of masculine pride and then suddenly kissed Lizzie.

She didn't know if it was being around him or what, but she was getting sexually aroused really easily. Even the slightest touch from him made her really excited and it was kind of annoying. She never thought she'd be the kind of person to want sex all the time, like a dog in heat. But it wasn't just being around Darcy; it was her hormones. The pregnancy was affecting her body in many different ways and so far it had been some weight gain, sensitive nose, sensitive stomach, nausea, and now raging hormones.

They made out on the plane and talked for the whole trip, well, in between Lizzie's frequent bathroom breaks. "It must be all the water I drank while we were eating.", she commented as she sat down next to Darcy.

A car picked them up and took them to Lizzie's house. When they got to her door step, Lizzie kissed Darcy some more and he had to pull away. Lizzie was really embarrassed and said, "Sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me. I'm not usually like this, I promise. You must think I'm some sex-crazed lunatic.", she joked.

"No need to apologize. I don't mind at all. And if it were up to me, we could stand here all night. But you've got to get some rest and I've got to return to Pemberley tomorrow. I've been neglecting the company for far too long."

"Yeah, yeah.", Lizzie said, faking a pout.

Darcy went in for one last kiss and then said, "So…what are going call this? It's perfectly fine if you don't want to label us just yet, but I need some clarification…"

Lizzie started playing with the buttons on his shirt and then looked up at him and said, "How about I call you my boyfriend… and you call me your girlfriend? We can continue dating and learning more about each other now. Does that sound good?"

Darcy just nodded yes. He was ecstatic.

He gave Lizzie a really tight hug, making her newly sensitive breasts press up against his chest. She pulled away reluctantly before she could get any more aroused and said, "See ya later, boyfriend…"

He smiled and said, "I'll be returning home really early in the morning so I won't be able to see you again before I leave. But you can call me whenever you like. Farewell, my beautiful girlfriend."

He kissed the back of her hand and walked back to the waiting car.

Lizzie sighed. _"What the hell is up with me?! I've never felt like this about a guy. And I've never been this horny in my life! I feel like I'm going to burst if I don't have sex with him soon."_ , she thought angrily as she climbed up the stairs. _"Either Will and I have insane chemistry or he spiked my food in LA."_

* * *

When she got to her room, Lydia was waiting for her. She jumped off the bed and hugged Lizzie super hard.

"Oh, Lizzie! Thank you, thank you, thank you!", she said crying.

"What's wrong?", Lizzie asked worriedly. Lydia hadn't cried in a while.

"I know what you and Darcy did! George texted me that you guys stole his copy of the tape and now he can't blackmail me! I had no idea he was planning on doing this to me… how did you know?"

Lizzie told her about the texts and everything that went down in LA. She never destroyed the memory card; she had gotten distracted by Darcy's wounds. She still had it.

She gave it to Lydia and they both walked downstairs and watched as Lydia threw it in the fireplace and it burned.

Jane had gone out with their father and their mom was playing Bingo at the neighbor's house, so Lydia and Lizzie had the house all to themselves. They sock-slid all over the place and stopped only when Lizzie felt like she was going to throw up.

* * *

The next day arrived and Lizzie was going to make a video about something. She didn't know what just yet but she was going to have to upload _something_. It had been a while since she uploaded her last video.

Just then Jane burst into the den and said, "AHHHH! Lizzie! I just got a call from New York! The fashion company I did a phone interview with a couple weeks ago wants to hire me! They're going to pay for my flight and my rent! Lizzie!"

Lizzie got up and was jumping up and down excitedly with Jane until she felt a little dizzy and stopped.

"That's great, Janie! Congrats! Did you tell Mom and Dad? And Bing?!"

"No, not yet. I just got the call now. I'm kind of scared to tell Bing, though. We haven't seen much of each other since I came back home. Imagine being on the other side of the country…"

"It's gonna work out, Jane. You told me if things are meant to happen, they will."

Well, now she had footage for her video.

She and Darcy texted each other throughout the day. Neither one had decided to tell anyone about their relationship. Nobody even knows they went to the theater together, except Gigi. She spoke to Dr. Gardiner and she decided she was going to go back to Pemberley to finish her independent study.

* * *

The next day, Bing showed up at their door, bright and early.

"Why, Bing, dear! What a pleasant surprise!", Mrs. Bennet said as she answered the door. Everyone came downstairs to see what all the commotion was about.

Bing had shown up to tell Jane that he wanted to go to New York with her.

"But Bing, then everyone will know…"

"I know, but I don't care anymore. I've been apart from you for too long and New York is a great place for me to make a name for myself."

"Bing, your family-"

"I've already spoken with them. After you called me and told me you got an offer in New York, I called my parents and told them I had dropped out of med school months ago. They were furious and even threatened to disown me. But that's okay. When I make a name for myself in New York, they'll understand why I did what I did."

"So, you're really coming with me?"

"Yes! I love you, Jane Bennet, and there is no way I'm letting you get away."

They kissed and the whole family cheered.

"You better take good care of my Jane. She's my first child, you know. I'll hunt you down if anything happens to her.", said Mr. Bennet jokingly.

Lizzie got all emotional. One of her best friends was leaving her and their PDA made her miss Darcy like mad.

She announced there, "I'm going back to San Francisco."

No one really questioned her. She said she was going to finish up her independent study over there because she was missing some information.

Lydia's face fell when she heard that. Now both her sisters were going to leave her. Lizzie noticed and suggested, "Why don't you come with me for a while?"

Lydia beamed.

They had a celebratory breakfast and then everyone started packing.

Lizzie told Darcy about going back and bringing Lydia along and he was pleased. "She and Gigi will get along perfectly.", he noted.

* * *

Jane, Lydia, and Lizzie all left a few days later. Jane and Bing left together for New York while Lizzie and Lydia traveled to San Fran first class. Darcy paid for Lizzie and Lydia's airfare but no one knew. Everyone thought Dr. Gardiner's scholarship was footing the bill.

A car picked them up and took them to the house where Lizzie was staying before. Memories came flooding back into Lizzie's brain as she passed the living room couch and then as she entered her bedroom. "No way am I going to get a good night's sleep in here tonight.", she thought as she recalled her last night in that room.

It was Monday the next day and Lizzie had to return to Pemberley. She and Lydia commuted to Pemberley and were greeted by Gigi and Darcy.

"Hi!", was all Gigi said before she ran to Lydia and gave her a huge hug.

 _"Yup. Best friends in the making right there._ ", Lizzie thought as she saw them interact.

Then her attention switched to her man. He was standing there looking as handsome as ever.

They were giving each other googley-eyes, when all of a sudden Lydia gave Darcy a hug. He was startled at first but then he hugged her back.

"Thank you, Darce.", was all she said before Gigi dragged away for a tour of Pemberley Digital.

"Lizzie, may I have a word with you in my office? It's about your independent study…", he said with a mischievous smile.

"Sure thing.", she said smiling back.

* * *

They got to Darcy's office and locked the door. They were all over each other in a matter of seconds. They hadn't seen each in over a week and missed each other ardently. When lunchtime rolled around, Gigi volunteered to take Lydia so that Darcy and Lizzie could be alone. They went to Lizzie's place because it was closer.

Lizzie had finally gotten the sex her body had been craving. It was even better than their first time together. Darcy didn't know if his memory was failing him, but it seemed to him that Lizzie's boobs had gotten a little bigger since he last saw them. _"Maybe it's due to the bit of weight she's gained. I'm not complaining though…",_ he thought as he admired Lizzie's slightly fuller figure as she undressed.

They continued this for the entire week. Gigi would kidnap Lydia while Darcy and Lizzie would have 'lunch'. What's funny about this is that they were having protected sex the whole week. Darcy made sure to come prepared. It's too late for that now, guys!

Fitz noticed how happy Darcy was but he attributed that to Lizzie's presence alone, not to the fact that they were getting together everyday. Gigi had never told Fitz about the clues she found when she went to Lizzie's place. She felt more allegiance to her brother in that moment.

When the week was over, the Darcys invited the Bennet girls over to their house for the weekend. It was here that Lydia noticed how different Lizzie acted with Darcy. She'd never seen her sister act so flirty before.

That Saturday afternoon was lots of fun for the four of them, but then Lizzie fell ill and fainted. They were playing tennis, older siblings vs younger siblings, when Lizzie got woozy and then fell. Luckily, Darcy wasn't too far and he caught her. She wasn't responding when they called her name so Darcy sent for their medic (their estate had medical facilities on the grounds).

He carried Lizzie up to the room given to her last time, and placed her carefully on the bed. The medic arrived and asked for some privacy. Lydia stayed with Lizzie while she was being examined.

Gigi stood with her brother outside, trying to calm him down.

"Chill, William. She probably just got dehydrated or something."

* * *

Inside, the medic finished her initial check-up and said, "Well, she should be fine. She just a little dehydrated and overheated from the exercise, in my opinion. This is not uncommon in women with her condition. I used to see this all the time when I worked in the hospital and it happened to me with all of my children."

She was hooking an IV with fluids to Lizzie's arm so she could rehydrate. She also turned on the ceiling fan to get some air circulating.

Lydia was confused. "What condition?"

The old medic smiled and said, "Well, I hope I didn't spoil the surprise, but I know a pregnant woman when I see one. This young lady is with child."

Lydia said, "WHAT?! That's impossible!"

The medic laughed and said, "I'll bring some pregnancy tests for you to confirm. Though I am 99% sure just by looking at her."

She walked out of the room and said to Darcy, "She will be just fine. Let her nap for a while to regain her strength. I'll send up a little care package from the infirmary. I suggest that you two stay out here and leave her with the sister. Too many people in there won't help her cool down any quicker."

Darcy and Gigi nodded in agreement. They trusted Dr. Nancy. She treated them when they were kids.

* * *

About 15 minutes later, a messenger arrived with a little duffel bag. Lydia took it and checked inside. There were cold Gatorades of different flavors, 4 expensive pregnancy tests, different fruit in a ziploc bag, and a bundle of multivitamins.

 _"No way. This has to be a mistake, right?_ ", Lydia thought. She was freaking out. She'd always been the one everyone thought would have a baby out of wedlock, but now it was Lizzie?

Lizzie finally began to wake up and Lydia rushed over.

"What happened?", Lizzie said with a groggy voice.

"You fainted while we were playing tennis, sis. No biggie. You're fine…", Lydia said. She didn't know if her sister knew she was pregnant, so she didn't want to shock her while she was still kind of weak. She made her drink a bottle of Gatorade with a multivitamin and eat some of the fruit.

When she was feeling much better, Lydia said, "So… umm… Lizzie?"

"Yea, Lyds?"

"The doctor that you checked you out kinda sorta said that your fainting may have been a result of you… being… um… preggers…".

"What?! No way. That's not possible!... Well it is possible but not likely…", she said to herself.

Lydia sat next to Lizzie with her mouth wide open in surprise.

"Whatttt! Give me the deets!"

Lizzie sighed and for the first time revealed that she and Darcy had gone on a date and then had sex the day Lydia's tape was revealed, which is why it took so long to contact her. She also revealed that they'd been getting together all this week and that they were now dating.

"Lizzie! You sly fox!", Lydia said jokingly.

Lizzie was glad to see Lydia's old sense of humor was returning.

"It feels good to finally tell somebody! You're the only one that knows, Lydia. Jane or Charlotte don't know anything yet…"

Lydia felt very special.

"Look, the doc secretly sent up some pregnancy tests while you were sleeping… She seemed pretty sure you were…"

"I'll take them. I'm pretty sure I'm not. I mean, we used protection every single time."

Darcy and Gigi had cleaned up and were waiting downstairs for Lydia to tell them Lizzie had woken up.

"Relax, big brother! She's fine! Just tired, is all. I mean, she has been getting lots exercise lately, hasn't she? Slow your roll, bro.", Gigi teased.

Darcy blushed. "How did you know?"

Gigi explained about the condition in which she found Lizzie's place when she was sent to pack up her stuff. And the lone sock she found.

* * *

Lizzie peed on the pregnancy tests with no trouble. She did them all together. She had enough urine to go around. She had been peeing a lot more often for almost the last month.

While she waited for the results of the tests, she got to thinking about when her last period had been. She couldn't remember. _"But that was just stress from Lydia's situation, I'm sure."_

After time was up, she looked at the results of all the pregnancy tests. They were all positive.

"Holy crap!"

Lydia was waiting outside the door and asked, "Hey, Lizzie, are you okay?"

Lizzie exited the bathroom and put the four pregnancy tests in a big Ziploc bag that the fruit were in.

She handed the bag to Lydia and Lydia saw all were positive.

* * *

Lizzie began freaking out. She started crying and then the cries turned to sobs and then she was just bawling. She was not prepared for a baby.

"I haven't even graduated grad school yet! I'm going to walk across the stage with a baby bump! I'm not ready to be a mom…", she thought as she weeped.

Darcy and Gigi were coming up the stairs because he thought Lizzie was taking too long to wake up. They heard crying and ran towards Lizzie's room.

Lizzie was crying on Lydia's shoulders and then Darcy asked, "Lizzie. What's wrong?"

She held out the Ziploc bag, which Darcy took. He stared at it for a few seconds before realizing what they were. Gigi gasped.

Darcy's face paled and when Lizzie saw his reaction she started crying even more.

"This is not how it's supposed to go! We're supposed to date first and then get pregnant! Not the other way around!", she cried.

* * *

**So there we have it, folks! The beans have officially been spilled! Lol.  
**

**How do you think Darcy will react to an out-of-wedlock love child?**

**Were you guys satisfied with the way they found out? 'Cause this is a major part of the story and I want to know if you guys liked it!**


	9. Lizzie and Darcy Visit the Doctor

**Thanks to FF user SOLYAHU for inspiring some of this chapter!**

* * *

Darcy was still in shock for a few more seconds before finally coming back to reality. He acknowledged Lizzie's tears and wanted to comfort her.

"Gigi... Lydia? Would you girls mind leaving Lizzie and I alone for a little bit?"

The girls exited the room quickly and quietly; heading down to the living room to talk about what had just occurred.

"Whoa...", was all Lydia could say.

"We're going to be aunts!", Gigi said excitedly, the shock subsiding and the happiness bubbling.

Meanwhile, back in Lizzie's room, Darcy had made his way over to Lizzie and just hugged her tight. Neither said anything for a few minutes. But it was Lizzie that broke the silence.

"I have no idea how this happened! Honestly!"

"Whoa, Lizzie, nobody is blaming you! There's always risks with sex, even if you use protection. I guess the condom tore or something that night back at your place. Because you can't possibly be pregnant from our recent time together, can you?"

"No, you're right. It had to be that night... I can't believe this!"

"Neither of us was expecting this, but now there's nothing we can do about it. We're both adults and financial stability isn't an issue. There's no reason why we shouldn't raise this baby.", Darcy said with more confidence than he felt. He was trying to put Lizzie at ease.

"Yeah, you're right. We have to accept our responsibilities. There's no reason why this kid shouldn't grow up happy.", Lizzie agreed. The fact that Darcy was rich put her at ease big time. Not that it was something she looked for in the father of her children, but she did have a sense of relief that the kid would never be lacking in the most basic of necessities.

"I'm going to call my trusted manager of house staff, Mrs. Reynolds. You didn't meet her last time because I give her weekends off. I can trust her with this very sensitive information. She'll arrange a doctor's appointment ASAP."

"Thanks, William. I'm still not used to the fact that I'm pregnant... but it feels good to know that I'm not alone."

"How could you possibly think I wouldn't be involved? That baby is half Darcy, too. And what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't stick around?", he joked. He knew he should be taking this more seriously, but right now he was just glad Lizzie had stopped crying.

Lizzie smiled and then went in for another hug.

Lizzie and Darcy made their way downstairs, hand in hand. Gigi and Lydia were relieved to see that things were still good between them.

"Gigi, would you mind entertaining Lydia for a couple of hours? Lizzie and I are going to go get her checked out to make sure everything is alright."

Gigi nodded yes and she and Lydia watched as the couple left the house together.

* * *

Lizzie had blood drawn and was laying on a cot, awaiting the ultrasound technician. She and Darcy were arguing about Lizzie paying half of whatever this was costing him, when in walked the lady.

"Are you ready for your ultrasound?"

Lizzie nodded yes and then looked over at Darcy. He closed the space between them in a couple of strides and held her hand.

Lizzie shivered when the lady squirted the ultrasound gel on her belly.

"Sorry about that! It's kind of cold sometimes."

Next, she began running the sensor on Lizzie's belly while looking at the screen. Lizzie and Darcy looked at the screen too but didn't know what they were supposed to be looking for.

"Aha! Here we are! Almost couldn't see it. That little bean-shaped creature right there is your baby."

Darcy and Lizzie were very matter-of-fact about the baby before, speaking about it as it if we're an abstract idea. But now there was concrete proof that it existed. The fact that that little spot would grow into a full-blown baby inside of Lizzie's womb, overwhelmed both parents. Lizzie teared up and Darcy squeezed her hand a little tighter. Their uncertainty dissipated and they began to accept the inevitable arrival of their unborn child.

The lady turned a knob on the machine and then moved the sensor around some more. "And this, folks, is your baby's heart beat. Judging by the beat and the size, I'd say your about nine weeks along, give or take a few days."

Lizzie thought that the sound of their baby's heartbeat was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard.

"Is it supposed to sound like that?", Darcy asked with concern.

"Yes. That's perfectly normal. Their heartbeats are really rapid early on.", the lady replied smiling. "Would you like a snapshot of the baby?"

Both Lizzie and Darcy said "Yes, please!" at the same time and then laughed.

As they waited for the pictures, a nurse walked in and announced that Lizzie's blood work revealed everything was fine and that all hormone levels were within range for her stage of pregnancy. "You're doing perfectly fine so far. Unfortunately, there's still a chance of a miscarriage. The risk is much less likely after you've entered your second trimester, which will be after you've reached three months. According to the size of your baby, you're about nine weeks. So in another 3-4 weeks you'll be in the clear. We've scheduled you for another appointment at that time."

"Can I work until then? I sit at a desk. There's very minimal exercise.", Lizzie asked, wondering if the baby would push back her independent study and in turn, her graduation.

"Yes. Go about your life as you normally would. Just be a little more careful. Take prenatal vitamins. Don't do extreme exercise and don't put yourself at risk of falling. Things like that. Your baby is doing fine and there's no need to put you on bed rest."

"Oh okay.", Lizzie said with relief. She wanted to at least have her degree before she gave birth.

Darcy cleared his throat and asked, "And the gender of the baby? When can we find out?".

"Probably a couple weeks after your next visit. We have to give the baby time to develop its organs in order to be sure. Any more questions before we finish up here?"

The couple said no and thanked the nurse.

They drove home in silence, each preoccupied with their own thoughts of what the future held for them. Lizzie kept staring at the ultrasound snapshot and was overjoyed. She couldn't believe that a few hours ago she had been sad at the fact that she was carrying a baby inside her. Darcy's thoughts weren't too different. He was excited- scared out of his mind- but excited.

When they arrived at Darcy's, he turned off the car and turned to Lizzie. He grabbed her hands and said, "I know this isn't how you pictured having your first child and trust me, I never even considered a scenario such as ours, but we're going to be parents. And I know we don't know each as well as we should, but I just want to say that I don't regret this. I think we're going to work out just fine."

Lizzie smiled and then leaned in to kiss Darcy. It was meant to be a sweet kiss to convey thanks and reassurance, but it quickly evolved into something much more passionate. This passion, however, was not fueled by Lizzie's erratic libido. It was fueled by Darcy and Lizzie's repressed feelings for one another. Neither wanted to say the L-word because of the fact that their relationship was new and they really didn't know much about each other. But the baby would bring its parents closer in the seven months left until it became the center of their worlds.

After a while, they stopped, and Darcy helped Lizzie out of the car. "Let's go show Lydia and Gigi their niece or nephew.", Lizzie said as Darcy opened the front door for her.

* * *

Later that night, Lydia climbed into bed with Lizzie. She was still going to stay in the room Darcy had given her.

"Sis, why are you still in here? I thought you were gonna go stay with Darceface? Actually, I would think you'd be packing up your stuff that we have at the house you're sitting for so you can come stay over here..."

"No. I'd rather not... We just started dating. I mean sure, I'm pregnant with his kid, but this bun is staying the oven for another seven months and I don't wan to make any rash decisions..."

"Hmm. Okay, I guess. But if it were me, I'd be cuddling up with my rich baby-daddy right about now..."

Lizzie hit Lydia with a pillow playfully.

"Fine, fine I give up, Lizzie... So umm... when are you planning on telling people? Jane and Charlotte... and our parents?!

"Ughhh... don't remind me! I wonder what they're going to think of me..."

"Well, we're your family so were gonna support you no matter what. I already know mom will be ecstatic..."

Lizzie groaned and just imagined having these conversations with her family.

* * *

Darcy was also having a sibling interrogation in his bedroom. Gigi and Lydia seemed to have planned their conversations.

"So, big brother... why is Lizzie not in here. It's none of my business but I was just wondering...".

"Gigi, you aren't subtle at all.", he chuckled. "But to answer your question: because she and I are taking things slowly."

"Ugh! There's not much worse that could happen..." and then she added under her breath, _"...she's already pregnant..."._

"Gigi!"

"What? It's true!"

Their conversation ended up like Lizzie and Lydia's and Gigi went off to bed unsatisfied.

* * *

The next day was Sunday and Lizzie woke up super early; she couldn't sleep. It seems Darcy also had trouble sleeping because it was 4:30am and they bumped into each other in the kitchen.

"What are you doing up so early?", they both asked simultaneously and started laughing.

"Well, I don't know about you, but with news this big, I couldn't help but think about it all night. All I could think about is this baby and then Lydia brought something up earlier that had me thinking..."

"What is it?"

"Well, Will, we've got to tell my parents! I mean, I'd rather tell them now instead of later when I can't hide it anymore. I don't know how everyone is going to react but I need to get it out of the way soon. Maybe we can make a trip to my parent's house next weekend?"

"Yeah, you're right. That sounds like a plan. And I don't know how I'm going to explain this to Bing and Fitz...maybe during work this week...".

"And I to Charlotte and Jane...".

"Don't worry, baby. We have amazing people in our lives, so I'm sure they'll come around eventually."

" _Did he just call me baby?_ ", Lizzie thought as her face betrayed her and she smiled a huge smile.

Lizzie didn't want to make a big deal about it, since that was something perfectly normal between boyfriends and girlfriends and he would probably get embarrassed that she called him out on it.

"Yeah, you're right... _babe_.", Lizzie said as she closed the gap between them and began playing with the rope of his untied silk sleeping robe.

Darcy put his hands on her waist and slowly moved them underneath her tank top and to her lower belly, where their baby was growing.

Darcy kissed Lizzie and she reciprocated eagerly. They eventually made it from the kitchen to Darcy's bed, where they made love as gently as their desire would allow (at Darcy's insistence, for he didn't want to hurt the baby) with slow motions and pleasant caresses. They enjoyed the fact that contraception is no longer a necessity and slept skin-to-skin and cuddled in each others arms, like the night that their child was conceived. Gigi and Lydia got their wish after all.


	10. Darcy Does Baby Research

Eight weeks going on nine and Lizzie could barely see a difference. _"I mean, sure I have a bit more of a muffin top and I now always look like I've had a big meal… and my bra seems to be a little tighter… but shouldn't I look more, I don't know… pregnant?",_ Lizzie thought to herself as she examined her body in the mirror before getting dressed before work.

At Lizzie's insistence, she and Lydia had been brought back to her place Sunday night after a lovely dinner with the Darcys. They enjoyed spending time in each other's company and took advantages of all the perks that come along with being in an exclusive relationship with someone.

Lydia was eating some cereal when Lizzie finally came out dressed. She was wearing black slacks and a top that didn't hug her belly. She wanted absolutely no one at Pemberley Digital to know she was pregnant, lest they find out who her baby daddy is. Also, she didn't want anyone to know before she told her family.

"Lydia do I look different to you? Like, can you tell I'm pregnant?", Lizzie asked worriedly. Now that she knew she was pregnant, she felt like she had a big neon sign pointing to her stomach.

"Not really. I think we all gained a little weight with mom's cooking during… well, you know- that month that we were all home eating mom's consolation meals. So I wouldn't have thought anything of it. Don't worry, Lizzie. Nobody will notice. Just don't stare at your stomach and don't rub it and stuff and you should be totes fine.", Lydia said reassuringly.

Lizzie sighed in relief and asked, "Are you ready to go? I'm skipping breakfast for right now- I think if I eat anything I'll just puke it back up."

* * *

Darcy awoke slightly annoyed at the fact that Lizzie wasn't by his side. He understood the newness of their relationship along with news of a baby on the way was more than enough to warrant 'taking it slow', but still he longed for the day she would agree to finally move in with him. He hadn't had a chance to ask her because before he could even try, she was laying down rules.

He and Gigi talked baby talk all the way to work and it reminded him that he knew absolutely nothing about a developing baby or how to take care of one after its birth. _"I will have to order some baby books and videos online. For the mean time, Google will have to do for basic information."_ , he thought as he parked in the VIP parking at Pemberley's parking garage.

Gigi was a ball of excited energy and she felt stir-crazy because she had no one to talk to it about until Lizzie and Lydia arrived. She didn't want to pressure her brother, but Gigi desperately wanted for him to tell Fitz so they could fangirl together about the unborn child. Gigi must have been putting out extremely good vibes to the universe because lately, a lot of her desires have been coming true, and this one would as well.

Lizzie and Darcy decided yesterday that it would be best for them not to spend so much time around each other at Pemberley, so he had plenty of free time to complete the task he set for himself earlier that morning. In between emails and phone meetings with foreign investors, Darcy was on the internet shopping for baby material. He bought a couple hundred dollars worth of books and movies and instructional videos before his lunch break arrived. He wanted to be absolutely sure he was the best (and most prepared) father he could be. There was one book titled, _'Pregnant Sex=The Best Sex'_ , for which he very interestedly read the brief description. _"It won't harm the baby? Hmm… must conduct further research to be sure…"_ , he decided as he added the book to the online shopping cart.

He scrolled past another book titled ' _Baby and Me: Daddy's Guide to Creating an Unbreakable Bond from Day 1'_ and the sudden thought that his social awkwardness and difficulty reading social cues would make it challenging for the child to love him made his throat dry. He quickly added it to his shopping cart and then headed to the water cooler in the break room to have a drink. He had a stocked mini fridge in his office but he wanted to walk around and work off the nervous energy.

* * *

Fitz poked his head into Darcy's office, as was his habit, and when he saw Darcy wasn't there, he let himself in and walked to Darcy's desk. He sat down in one of the comfy seats in front of the large mahogany workspace, but then decided he'd rather annoy Darcy by sitting in his chair behind the desk. Fitz made himself comfortable and propped his legs up on the table.

 _"If Darcy doesn't at least grimace at this, then Lizzie's got him totally whipped. As if I didn't know that already…",_ Fitz thought as he leaned back in Darcy's chair. He stayed like this for a few minutes but then got bored and decided to play Solitaire on Darcy's computer. He shook the mouse and then his eyebrows shot up as he saw what was on his screen.

 _"Why would Darcy be looking up baby books?",_ he thought obliviously.

Just then, Darcy walked in feeling much more at ease- at least until he saw Fitz clicking around on his computer. He kind of froze but then reminded himself that he was going to have to tell him sometime, and he might as well do it now.

"Fitz, will you please remove your feet from my desk? It's mahogany. Have some respect.", he said with a stern voice but with a smile that reached his eyes.

"Oh okay, good. You're still you. I was gonna say that if you didn't scold me, you were gone for good due to Lizzie's charm.", he said jokingly.

"Despite the happiness that Lizzie has brought into my life and the new responsibility we will share together, I am still very much myself.", Darcy said, still smiling.

"Dude. Seriously. I'm glad to see you happy and all, but the smile still kinda creeps me out. If you're gonna smile, just smile all the way. Don't hold back the happy."

Darcy just laughed as he shooed Fitz away from his chair.

"Sooooo….. you wanna tell me what responsibilities you and Lizzie have now? Did y'all get a dog or something? And D-man, what's up with the baby research? If you guys are getting a pet, I think you need a different set of books..."

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "No. I'm looking up the correct material. The truth is my relationship with Lizzie has been going on longer than you've been aware. She and I went on a date the last time she was at Pemberley- you know, before the whole Wickham situation."

"Whatttt?! This is gold! Why have you been holding out on me?!"

"Well, I thought we were done and that she thought that night had been a mistake since we were slightly inebriated-"

"Wait, what?! You guys got drunk and…", the dots connected in his head. "WHAT?! No way! You and Lizzie _hooked up_?!"

Darcy assumed that meant intercourse so he nodded yes.

"Hold on, like hooked up-hooked up or _hooked up_ -hooked up?", Fitz asked confused.

Darcy had had enough misinterpretations with Lizzie to last him a life time, so he cleared things up.

"Lizzie and I had sex. Today is Monday, so according to the doctor's calendar and my own, that was nine weeks ago exactly."

"My dawg! Pound it! You finally got with the woman of your dreams! I wish you woulda told me sooner, man! We coulda gone out to celebrate… Oh yeah, but the Wickham thing happened… Wait, back up Darce, what doctor?"

"Lizzie is pregnant with my baby, Fitz. I'm going to be a father.", Darcy said proudly. He hadn't really announced it to anyone, since obviously Lizzie, Lydia, and Gigi already knew. He felt a rush telling Fitz about it.

Fitz jaw dropped. And he was quiet. This was a rare treat and Darcy reveled in it for as long as he could. Fitz finally came to, and got up and hugged Darcy and patted him on the back.

"Congratz, man! Wow. That's major news! How did that happen? Well, I know how, but how could that happen to _you_ and _Lizzie_? You two are the most sensible people I know."

"There's always a risk, contraceptives or not."

"Whoaaa… I need to go congratulate her... Does Gigi know? Oh, who am I kidding? That two-timer didn't tell me anything… Whatever happened to team FIGI?!"

"Please be discrete with your congratulations, Fitz. Lizzie doesn't want anyone at the offices to know."

Fitz nodded as he made his way out of Darcy's office. He was going to go to Lizzie, but decided to see if Gigi was around so he could demand answers as to why he was kept out of the loop.

* * *

Lizzie was sitting at her desk, her soup and salad bowls left completely empty. She had just devoured her lunch and was staring at the ultrasound picture of her baby, when Lydia walked in with her cell phone's talking end covered with her hand.

"Lizzie! Put that away! Don't come crying to me when you get caught red-handed!"

"Most of the employees here have manners and knock before they enter someone's office."

"Yeah, yeah. Look, mom is totes dying to talk to you! I told her you were busy, but she said _'None of my girls are ever too busy to talk to their mama'_ ", Lydia said, mimicking her mother's accent almost as well as Lizzie.

"It's alright, just give me the phone. It's perfect timing for me to tell her we're going to visit this weekend."

"So you mean you're telling them forrealsies?"

"Yes, Lyds. I'm gonna start showing eventually and I'd rather them find out from me than by my baby bump. Now give me the phone before mom thinks you hung up on her."

Lydia quickly gave her the phone and said, "I'll be in Gigi's office. You should come quickly! Fitz and Gigi are fighting and it's hilarious!"

Lizzie chuckled and felt a flood of relief at hearing Lydia's high-pitched vocal inflections again.

"Hey, mom, I have some great news! We're coming to visit this weekend…". She purposely emitted that she was bringing her baby daddy along with her.

The week was an anxious one for both Lizzie and Darcy. The baby itself they consider a blessing and they are glad it exists, but it was the how of the situation which they dreaded telling.

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy were in his bedroom after dinner as she told him about the conversation she had with her mother that afternoon. He was sitting up against the headboard with his laptop on his lap and papers all about, while Lizzie laid beside him venting about telling her parents.

"How do I tell my dad, _'Hey Dad? Remember that guy we thought I hated? Yeah, I actually don't and we had amazing sex on the day that news of Lydia's video was announced and due to faulty condoms I became pregnant from that one time. But no, wait! There's more, dad! After we went and kicked Wickham's ass in the names of our younger sisters, we finally agreed to date because we both realized we feel strongly about each other! And shortly after that, I faint and discover I'm knocked up with his kid! Because who else could it possibly belong to? I haven't gotten laid since I was an undergrad.'_ Oh yeah, might as well tell him about that too."

He closed his laptop, picked up his papers, and put them all on his bedside table. He looked down to Lizzie, whose big doe eyes didn't try to conceal the anxiousness rumbling about inside of her. He swept a few stray hairs from her face and leaned down to kiss on the forehead before speaking.

"Lizzie, darling, you need to calm down. I can't imagine that those types of emotions are good for the baby. And remember you're not going alone. It takes two to tango and I will stand right beside you, holding your hand, as I say the words I never would have imagined would come out of my mouth in one sentence: _'Sir, I impregnated your daughter. Nice to see you again, I don't know if you remember me but I'm William Darcy.'"_

This made Lizzie laugh out loud with tears and everything. She felt a wave of relief wash over her as Darcy's ears reddened a little. She keeps forgetting that she's not alone anymore.

They spend the rest of the evening with Lizzie's head in Darcy's lap, discussing whatever topic came to mind. At times, they would have nothing to say but that was okay. Awkward moments were nonexistent between them anymore. He would just absent-mindedly rub Lizzie's belly and they'd both know that each was thinking of the future.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, Lizzie. I ordered a small library of baby material that should arrive tomorrow or the day after. I feel I need to prepare myself since I have no prior experience with infants or toddlers. Gigi was already a teen when I was left to take care of her."

"Aww how sweet! That's not a bad idea. It doesn't hurt to prepare, but don't you think it's a little early? I mean, I'm not even showing yet."

"But time flies. I don't want to put it off for the last month and have to cram everything. What if I forget something or do something wrong?"

Lizzie was about to reply but instead she yawned.

"Looks like it's time to get you home."

"Yeah.", Lizzie said with a sigh as she got off of the huge bed.

"You know… you're welcome to stay here, with me, whenever you'd like. Just let me know."

Lizzie smiled in response and hugged him.

"I know.", she mumbled into his chest. _"Maybe I should just move in with him? I mean, I can pay him back later right?"_ , she considered on the way downstairs.

The rest of the week passed in the same fashion. Lizzie and Darcy would spend their evenings together alone in a different room of the house every night checking out the baby material Darcy had purchased and talking (among other things). But during the day, they would try to see each other- although not for long. Either Darcy would go to Lizzie's office for a minute just to give her a quick kiss (which neither party ever felt satisfied with) or Lizzie would need to ask him a couple of questions for her study or on behalf of Gigi, during which they just held each other and basked in the serenity of being in each other's arms (and Darcy couldn't help if his hands had a mind of their own while they were locked in their embrace).

Gigi served as Lydia's personal tour guide of San Francisco and every night they went out after dinner, with Gigi dropping Lydia off at home long after Lizzie had fallen asleep. Gigi enjoyed Lydia's company as much as she could, for if their plan worked, Lydia would be staying behind and Lizzie would be living with Darcy on their return from the Bennet home.

They had an early flight scheduled for Saturday morning so they arrived at the Bennet house before lunchtime. To say that Mrs. Bennet was shocked to see _Darcy_ , of all people, would be an understatement.


	11. Lizzie and Darcy Tell Mr. and Mrs B.

"Oh, Lydia, darlin', I missed you so much! Let me tell ya, I've grown quite attached to that cat of yours! I never knew that pets are just babies that never grow up and leave ya! Ha ha…".

"I missed you too, mom. Even though it's only been like two weeks I've been gone."

"But now I have fewer mouths to feed! Your father won't do second helpings because he's watching his weight… Is that Elizabeth over there?! Lizzie!"

Lizzie cringed at the high pitched squeal. "Lydia gets that from our mother as you can see…", Lizzie said apologetically to Darcy, who was helping her out of the car.

"We haven't even entered the house and you're already apologizing? I hope that is not a bad omen.", he said with a smile. That was a lame attempt at a joke. He would not let Lizzie see just how terrified he was to meet the Bennets again.

"Nice try. You'll get better with time. Especially if you hang around my dad. He is the wittiest person I know."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I see…", he said, attempting to be funny again. He was rewarded with a quick kiss which did not escape Mrs. Bennet's eyes.

Mrs. Bennet just thought that Darcy was an assistant driver or something, trying to get extra tips by helping Lizzie, but when she saw the kiss and then when he turned around and she saw who he was, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. The couple was too wrapped up in each other to notice, however.

When they reached the front door, Mrs. Bennet cleared her throat, implying she needed an explanation.

"Hi, mom! I missed you, too!... You remember William Darcy? He's, umm, my boyfriend now.", she said with a nervous chuckle.

She stayed quiet. She wasn't angry, she was just in shock. Her middle child is in a relationship with a rich, handsome man! _"Praise the Lord!",_ she prayed internally.

"Good morning, Mrs. Bennet. Allow me to reintroduce myself. William Darcy. Very nice to see you again.", he said while extending his hand.

She immediately grabbed it and shook it really hard. And then started mumbling apologies and then she moved out of the way and invited them in.

"THOMAS! Your daughters have arrived and one with a handsome surprise!", she called out to her husband.

"Please, make yourself at home. Here, have a seat! Lunch will be ready soon!", she said as she scurried to the kitchen. She was glad she always made extra food because she hadn't been told he was coming.

Darcy sat next to Lizzie and held her hand as he looked around. He had been inside the Bennet home a couple of times when Bing still occupied the Netherfield estate, but he had dismissed it as an inferior middle class home that was trying too hard to fill up the large rooms in the house. But now he saw it in a new light. Everything was charming like Bing had suggested. All the little knick-knacks were memories; all the plants brought life and color into the house; all the goofy family portraits conveyed a home filled with love. _"If only the Darcy estate had had such personality when I was growing up…"_ , Darcy thought sadly.

But his thoughts were interrupted by Lizzie's voice.

"Dad!", she said as she let go of Darcy's hand and ran to her father, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs. Although it had only been two weeks, it felt like eons. So much has happened since she was last at home.

They stood in a tight embrace for about a minute. Darcy couldn't help but look away due to a twinge of jealousy. His father never really hugged him. He hugged Gigi lots but not Darcy. Not because he wasn't proud- he said he was proud all the time- but the intimacy of a hug came so rarely that he cherished them very much. The last time he hugged his father was on his deathbed.

His morose thoughts were conveniently interrupted by Lizzie's voice again. Mr. Bennet, with his keen eyes, had caught sight their interlocked hands before making Lizzie aware of his presence. After their bear hug, he looked pointedly at Darcy, which prompted Lizzie to speak.

"Dad, this is William Darcy. You remember him, right?", she said with a nervous chuckle at the end.

Darcy got up and made his way to Mr. Bennet in a couple of strides.

Mr. Bennet nodded and extended his hand, which Darcy took and they shook hands strongly. Thank goodness he'd had plenty of practice at this with his business meetings. This was easily the most nerve-racking handshake he's ever given. _"Yes, maybe I should just look at this from that perspective: a business meeting. Except instead of hundreds of thousands of dollars, we're talking mine and Lizzie's feelings for each other… and our baby!",_ he almost forgot about the baby. If he hadn't already put himself in business mode, he'd have frowned at himself.

Mr. Bennet looked him square in the eye and said, "A handshake says a lot about a person. Yours is very telling."

Mr. Bennet's comment made Lizzie nervous. He was always ambiguous so he could try and determine one's character by how they interpreted the things he said. Right now, she wasn't sure whether or not Darcy had given him a good impression, so she took charge of the conversation.

"So, Dad. Darcy- I mean William- is now my boyfriend... Crazy huh?"

Mr. Bennet raised his brows in surprise but there was a twinkle in his eye that was his tell-tale sign. Only those of the Bennet house could tell whether his reactions were genuine or not. Mrs. Bennet could best of all, but she pretended not to be able to tell when it suited her interests.

 _"How did he know?",_ Lizzie asked herself as Mr. Bennet continued with Darcy.

"Darcy, my good man, how tall are you?"

Darcy's only sign of confusion was the lightning fast rise of his brows.

"6 feet 3 inches, Mr. Bennet."

"Ahhh, only 3 inches taller than myself. And please, call me Thomas. You're family now, right Lizzie?"

Lizzie groaned. Her dad was asking weird questions to try to throw Darcy off his game. He was doing this to mortify her, not Darcy. This was revenge for not telling him sooner. They had always been close and she told him about all her previous boyfriends.

He continued, "You see, Darcy, height can be a great advantage in a fight. But a mere three inches is nothing to fear. Also, I'm pretty sturdy for an old man; I can take you. But that's only if I had to fight for my daughter's honor, of course."

Here, Darcy gulped. He had already crossed that line and there was no turning back because Lizzie was carrying the result in her womb. Mr. Bennet, being the perceptive man he was, took this as a sign that he and Lizzie had been together and that they must be serious, so he eased up him.

"I'm kidding of course! Any man that my Ellie judges as a good man must be the very best of men. Even if it took a while to realize it because I clearly remember that the last time I saw you two together, she couldn't stand you."

"Dad! Can we please let the past stay in the past?"

"Alright, alright! Sorry! Let's just say I'm not completely surprised seeing the two of you together. You definitely were not indifferent to this young man and I couldn't decide on which side on the love-hate line you stood."

"I think she had a foot on each side.", Darcy said trying to be say something clever.

He was rewarded with Mr. Bennet's hearty laughter and a pat on the back.

Just as Lizzie was about to protest, Mrs. Bennet called that lunch was ready.

* * *

The party of three made their way to the dining room, where Mrs. Bennet set out her best china in order to impress Darcy. She made her famous chili that she learned from her grandmama, served with some mixed salad and her famous strawberry cheesecake for dessert.

"Now, I know you rich folk probably don't eat stuff like this but I promise you it is _de_ licious." Mrs. Bennet said as she served Darcy.

"No worries, Mrs. Bennet, I have eaten chili before. And yours smells exceptionally good."

"Oh hush with that 'Mrs. Bennet' business. Call me Francine! Or Mom! Either one is fine."

Darcy said, "Alright, Francine it is _for now_.", and then he looked at Lizzie with a smirk. He knows who to have on his side when the time comes to ask Lizzie for her hand in marriage.

"Yeah, Francine is perfect.", Lizzie added. She pictured marriage as an abstract thing; something that would just happen eventually. But then again, she thought the same thing about children. _"They'll happen eventually."_ And now look.

The table seated six, so Mr. and Mrs. Bennet sat at the opposite ends of the table; Darcy and Lizzie sat across from each other, closest to Mr. Bennet, and Lydia sat beside Darcy in order to serve as a sort of blockade for eye contact and questions from Mrs. B.

She started asking all kinds of questions like how long they had been dating, has he taken her out to any fancy restaurants and if he did, did she act accordingly? And at one point, she asked if they'd been intimate.

"Alright, fine, ignore my other questions. But just tell me this: have you two already 'knocked boots'? Ya know 'done the nasty'? Like-"

"MOM!", Lizzie yelled after almost choking on her chili.

"It's just that, well, you look _different_. I can't put my finger on it so I'm narrowing down the possibilities!"

Mr. Bennet laughed because he knew the answer and he thought Lizzie deserved a little more hazing. If he hadn't known the answer, he would've called her out on such an inappropriate question. Lydia couldn't help but snicker. Darcy was turning as beet red as Lizzie already was.

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "We can discuss that after lunch, if you'd like, Francine."

This time it was Mrs. Bennet who was without words and she just nodded. She didn't think they'd actually tell her. Lydia sensed this as her cue to break up the awkwardness. Darcy had never so relieved to see her _energetic_ personality resurface.

Mr. Bennet was impressed. Not many had the skills to accomplish such a feat; Quiet Franny Bennets were rare. Sure, Wickham charmed the pants off of them all, but there was no real substance there. And he could see that in Darcy, there was. No person should meet their partner's family without fearing they would make a bad impression. That fear shows that they actually care for their partner and want their family to like them too. _"If only I had noticed it sooner with George. But oh well. Everything happens for a reason."_ , he thought to himself as he watched Lizzie smile nervously at Darcy from across the table.

After they all had dessert, Darcy offered to help Mrs. Bennet clean the dishes. He was repulsed by this woman the first time he met her but now she was sort of endearing in an annoying way. He actually liked her. And her cooking wasn't too shabby.

"Dad, let's all meet up in your library to talk after mom and Will finish the dishes, okay?"

"Sure thing. You've been jumpy since you got here… is everything alright?"

"Yes. Everything is going wonderfully. My independent study will be done in a couple of weeks. I'll be graduating. And then there's Will and some other stuff that I want us all to discuss together… so hold off all questions until then, okay?"

"Alright…"

"Good. Now excuse me. I have to pee really badly."

* * *

"Soooo… Darcy? You said we'd talk later. Tell me, how's my Lizzie been treatin' ya? I know she's a bit rough but she would make a great wife and mother, I'm sure.", said Mrs. Bennet while she rinsed off a dish.

She handed it to Darcy and he dried it while replying, "I agree, Francine. She's been perfect. But actually, we'd like to speak with you and Thomas together."

"Ooooo some big news, huh?! Oh boy! Alright, well let's finish up here quickly so y'all can spill the beans!"

Darcy felt kind of guilty about saying the things he said about her family. He'd been extremely wrong about Jane, he judged Lydia too quickly, and he thought their mother was a gold-digger. But he now sees that Jane is a doll, Lydia is a cool girl that reminds him so much of his own sister, and that Mrs. Bennet, although annoying and pushy, is actually very caring and nurturing and only wants the best for her girls. He didn't really think too much of Mr. Bennet before, only that their financial status was most likely caused by his inability to manage their money. But he could see that Lizzie's father was a wise, witty man who was very easy-going and that whatever troubles had befallen them, were out of his control.

The huge difference in social class didn't seem all that important anymore. They were just nice people now.

When they'd finished up the dishes, Mrs. Bennet led Darcy to Mr. Bennet's library. On the short walk she boasted about how smart Lizzie was and how most other men would be intimidated by her brain. "But not you, Darcy dear. You are the right kind of man for her!"

Darcy just smiled and nodded. He found that it was easier to have a conversation with Mrs. Bennet because she did most of the talking. Also, he didn't have to go into business mode with her. He wasn't intimidated by her anymore now that he understood that she's just really proud of her family and has already accepted him.

When they got to the library, it was empty.

"Let me go find Thomas and Elizabeth. I'll be right back."

Darcy took this opportunity to look around. His library wasn't huge, but he did like a lot of the titles he saw. There were all kinds of books, spanning many centuries, and of all genres. There were a lot of philosophical titles and that made him wonder what line of work Mr. Bennet belonged to.

 _"Lizzie and I never really speak about that kind of stuff…"_ , he thought as he picked up a thick volume of a book he recognized from high school.

Darcy was facing the bookshelf and had his back to the door, so he didn't see when Mrs. Bennet returned with the missing pair.

* * *

"What do you have there?", asked Mr. Bennet.

Darcy quickly returned the book to its spot and answered, "My apologies. It's just I recognized that volume from when I was in high school-".

"It's okay, son. You are free to look at anything in here. Not many people appreciate my collection."

Mrs. Bennet was excited about the news so she interrupted, "So, kids, what's all the hubbub? What's so important we needed to talk together like this? Hmmm?"

Lizzie gestured towards the only couch in the room and her parents sat down and looked up at the couple.

Darcy made his way to her side and grabbed her hand.

Lizzie cleared her throat and said nervously, "Well, mom and dad. I have some major news. And I just found out it last weekend so please understand why I didn't tell you sooner."

Her parents awaited curiously. Mrs. Bennet thought they were engaged or something.

"Will and I haven't been dating too long. A couple of weeks, maybe. But he and I had been together before that. And now… well… *gulp*… I'm pregnant."

Darcy squeezed her hand in support. He looked at her and saw the fear in her eyes. She was scared of what her parents would think.

Her parents were quiet. Mr. Bennet's jaw dropped in genuine shock while Mrs. Bennet was starting to hyperventilate.

"Say something! Yell at me for being dumb or whatever but seriously, the suspense is killing me!", Lizzie exclaimed.

Mrs. Bennet shot up and hugged her daughter so hard. She began weeping tears of joy. Darcy let go of Lizzie's hand so she could hug her mom and he was standing there awkwardly awaiting Mr. Bennet's response. He couldn't read his expression and it made him really nervous.

"Oh Lizzie, dear! I knew you looked different! A mother knows these things! How far along are you?"

Lizzie smiled and said, "10 weeks on Monday! Look at this ultrasound picture, mom!". She always carried it with her in a pocket or something.

Her mother saw it and squealed and said, "I never thought this day would come! I thought you'd be the last of my girls to give me a grandbaby! Oh, thank God! I'm so happy for y'all." She rubbed Lizzie's belly excitedly.

She made her way to Darcy and gave him a hug. He stiffened at first but then melted into the hug. He was much taller than her, her head reaching just under his chest, but she was so tender and the love just radiated off of her.

"Oh, I'm so happy I could fly! I'm gonna go bake a cake now! Oh my, I didn't expect such a big surprise when you girls said y'all were comin' over!"

"Mom, please, please, please don't tell anyone! Like nobody. Don't you dare pick up a phone!"

"Alright, alright!", she said before making her way to the kitchen.

Mr. Bennet just sat there.

* * *

"Dad?…", Lizzie asked anxiously.

"Wow, Elizabeth. I'm just in shock, is all. I never expected this from you."

"I'm sorry, Dad! But things just happened. Honestly. And it wasn't some one-night-stand type of thing. We do have feelings for each other."

"Yes- and Lizzie and the baby will have everything they need. There's no need to worry. It's unexpected, but we'll manage it.", Darcy added trying to sound reassuring to Lizzie.

"No, no, kids. You've got it all wrong. I'm not disappointed. Lizzie, you are 23 going on 24 soon and you're graduating with a Master's degree. It's about time your life started. Of course I wish you two would've gotten to know each other more and maybe even gotten married before some news like this, but sometimes this is just the way it is. "

Then he turned to Darcy and added, "And I'm not worried for her, Darcy. I know you can handle supporting Lizzie and my new grandchild. But you better not hurt my daughter or else I will take you up on that fight I joked about earlier."

Mr. Bennet got up off the couch and gave Lizzie a big bear hug. "Now, now, Ellie don't cry."

But Lizzie couldn't stop the tears from flowing. She had been so worried that her parents would think badly of her. She seemed to forget how understanding they could be.

"Why are you crying, Ellie?"

"It's just that I was so worried you would hate me."

"I could never hate you. I'm just a little sad I wasn't told about you two sooner, but there's no way I could hate you. Think about it, Elizabeth. You're an adult and you're responsible. It's not like you're 14 or something. There's no reason for me to be upset. This is fantastic news!"

Lizzie sniffled and stopped crying.

Darcy watched the whole exchange and was relieved that Mr. Bennet was happy for them. It got him thinking about what his parents would have said.

He didn't get to finish his thought, because Mr. Bennet came over to him and gave him a hug. Like with Mrs. Bennet, he was stiff, but he didn't ease up. He hadn't been hugged by a father in so long and this man was going to be his father-in-law one day. He was trying not to break down during the hug, so he didn't really hug back.

Mr. Bennet thought it was just that Darcy was still scared of him or something, so he didn't really make a big deal about it.

"Great news, you two. Who else knows?", Mr. B asked after separating from Darcy.

"Lydia, Will's sister, our friend Fitz, and you two. That's it. We have to tell everybody else later. I already know Charlotte is gonna kill me."

"Not even Charlotte knows? Wow.", was all Mr. Bennet said before sitting down at his desk.

Lizzie wiped her tear-stained face and chuckled. She looked over at Darcy who had recomposed himself and when he caught her eye, he smiled. She walked to him and grabbed his hand in order to lead him out of the library and up to her room.

This was only the third or so time Darcy had ever set foot in Lizzie's home, so she decided to give him a tour on the way to her room. The tour wasn't nearly as long as the tour that Gigi gave her the first time she stayed over at their house, but it was just as interesting for Darcy as it had been for Lizzie.

He saw glimpses of Lizzie's past and her growing up and it was fun to see how she was before he met her. She had all kinds of crazy stories like the loose floorboard that they hid their extra Halloween candy in each year (and to this day their mother wasn't aware of its existence). And like the time all three of the girls were fighting and throwing shoes at each other, with one high heel hitting the wall in the upstairs hallway between Jane and Lydia's rooms, causing a crack in the wall.

"Jane isn't as innocent as she looks! While Lydia and I were freaking out, she quickly devised a plan to cover our asses. She covered the hole in the wall with one of her framed paintings. When mom and dad got home, she asked if it was alright to 'display her artwork' in the hall because she was 'so proud'. Ha!"

They arrived in Lizzie's bedroom (which her mother hadn't turned back into a meditation room yet) and she shut the door behind her.

"This is it. My bedroom. Where I raved and ranted about you for months."

Darcy looked around and although he had no idea what to expect, he thought it was so Lizzie. She had her bookshelf filled to the brim with books and knick-knacks. She had pictures all around and he recognized a younger version of each of the Bennet girls and Charlotte.

He was glad that she allowed him to know this part of her and he was reassured that their child would have a fun childhood with a mother like her, but he couldn't help feel that twinge of jealousy again. It was something that kept happening. _"Maybe I should tell her? But wouldn't it be strange to be jealous of her if I'm in love with her?"_

He decided it'd be best to clear this with her now instead of letting it bubble beneath the surface.

"Your room is very charming indeed. I have no difficulty imagining you had a very fulfilling childhood in this house…"

"But?"

"But… I cannot help but be a little envious of you. Don't misunderstand me, I'm glad you let me into your world and this gives me hope that our baby will have all the fun I didn't."

"Hmmm? What do you mean, Will?"

"You and I grew up very differently. I think it's time I tell you more about my childhood and my parents…"

"Oh… okay. Umm, come here. Have a seat.", she said solemnly, patting the space beside her on her queen sized bed.

* * *

**Hope you guys like this! More reactions coming up in the next few chapters.**

**And OMG you guys I'm hooked on these two awesome LBD fics titled 'The William Darcy Diaries' and 'Love me tender, love me true'. They're in my favorite stories on my page!**


	12. I Think I Love You, Too

**This chapter was inspired by a very fluffy update of a P &P regency fic titled 'Spite and Scorn'. It got me feeling all feelsy and I enjoyed writing this chapter so hopefully you'll enjoy reading it!**

* * *

Darcy sat down where Lizzie had patted the bed and then turned to face her.

"I don't want to make it seem as if I had a horrible childhood- I did not. I had wonderful parents who were both great role models. But I can't help but look back and feel like I missed something.

My parents loved Gigi and I undoubtedly. We never questioned that. But my mother was the more affectionate parent. She was always the one hugging and kissing us and helping us. I have very fond memories of my mother.

Unfortunately for us, she fell ill when I was ten years old and Gigi was five. She was bed-ridden for months at home until she passed away a few months later. We were all able to say good bye before she left us. And I remember it, clear as day, when she told me: 'William, promise me that you will protect your little sister. Promise me that you'll be the good man I hope you'll become.'

And I did. With tears in my eyes, I nodded yes."

Lizzie didn't really know what to say to him. Here she was in her childhood bedroom surrounded by only happy memories. She can't exactly say she understood what he went through. So she did the only thing she could and just grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

This seemed like encouragement enough for Darcy to continue.

"After my mother was gone, my father threw himself into his work as a means of escape, I suppose. He was already a quiet man and after that, we didn't really speak much. With Gigi he tried a little harder because she was younger. He still hugged her every night and sat her on his lap while he read status reports.

I assume that he thought I was old enough to handle grief on my own. But I wasn't. So when he hired Mr. Wickham to take over management of the estate a few months later- what used to be my mother's job- I was thrilled to see I had someone my age to play with. His mother had also passed a long time ago, so we already had that in common.

All your anecdotes and tomfoolery you experienced in your childhood were somewhat present in mine, except mine are tinged with memories of a time where George was a good guy and with the absence of my father. He worked too hard. Even after the doctors warned him that his heart couldn't take much stress, he kept on working.

That openness and playfulness you have with your parents makes me sad that my father didn't have that with Gigi and I. I was twenty years old and away at university when he fell ill from a heart attack and I made it just in time to say good bye. He gave me one last rare hug and his last request was the same as my mother's: to become a good man and take care of Georgiana.

I was an awkward taciturn kid who became a socially inept adult because I didn't have a kid's childhood. It wasn't unhappy, just not _fun_. I feel like I grew up too fast and like I had to take care of Gigi all by myself because as the years passed, my father grew more distant with us. And I... well, I'm glad that _you_ are mothering our baby. Because with you as a parent, I know they will have good memories and grow up happy."

* * *

Lizzie realized he was confessing his fears about inadequacy as a father as a result of his absent parents and wanted to comfort him.

"William, I'm sure you'll be a great dad! Look at what you're doing. You bought all those baby books and videos because you're interested; because you care. I watched you when we would just hang out at your house. You would rub my belly and you're so gentle with me now because of the baby. You are doing a fantastic job so far, in my opinion.", Lizzie said trying to reassure him. She had no idea that he was feeling insecure.

He looked up at her and saw the kindness in her eyes and the bit of sadness brought out by his little monologue. " _I hadn't thought of it like that... Wow, I have hit the jackpot with this woman."_ , he thought to himself.

He kissed her hand, which she then used to wipe the single tear that had escaped without him noticing. She had leaned closer to him to do that, and he took the opportunity to kiss her softly. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Lizzie was smiling, which made him smile.

They were still getting to know each other, and this confession and vulnerability that Darcy displayed was a major step in their relationship. Their intimacy was now beyond just physical.

He had often wondered how he would tell her he loved her, but he never imagined it would be in her bedroom after telling her parents he had impregnated her.

She was just sitting there across from him, looking so beautiful, smiling at him. She made him feel at peace and he wanted her to know just how much she meant to him.

Unbeknownst to Darcy, Lizzie's feelings were very similar to his own. She felt this strange sense of pride and joy at being able to make her man feel better. _"Maybe it's the maternal instinct kicking in?_ ", she thought as she sought to explain this wave of intense emotions that she had never experienced before and couldn't describe, but which had slowly been building over time.

Darcy cleared his throat and grabbed Lizzie's hands in his own. "The last time I said this, it didn't turn out as planned, but I have to get this off my chest... Lizzie, I am in love with you and what I felt when I confessed my love for you last time cannot even compare to what I feel right at this very moment... I-"

He was interrupted by Lizzie's lips on his.

He looked puzzled and was going to try to continue his speech, but Lizzie began speaking.

"I've been feeling something that I couldn't understand but you have just made it clear to me. William Darcy... I think am in love with you, too...".

She said it mainly to herself, but her audience was over the moon. Just when he thought she couldn't make him any happier, BAM!

* * *

He felt giddy all of a sudden and started kissing Lizzie all over and tickling her, which made her giggle. Within seconds, Lizzie was on her back laughing at Darcy's tickling and very much enjoying his little kisses.

Lydia had her ear phones in and didn't hear the loud giggling from outside the door. She didn't stop to think that Lizzie might be in her room with Darcy, so when she opened the door, she was very shocked to see Darcy straddling Lizzie while tickling her; and her giggling and yelling, "I love you, I love you, _I love you!_ "

You see, Darcy had used Lizzie's confession against her. He wouldn't stop tickling her until she said it again. "Say it again, Lizzie!", "What was that?" he would say jokingly while she tried to stay strong and not give him the satisfaction. But ultimately, she failed and that was what Lydia barged in on.

"Ummmm, guys?", Lydia said taking out an ear bud and walking over to the bed to drop down the house phone. Lizzie and Darcy looked over, Darcy's hand frozen in mid-tickle.

"Jane wants to speak with you...", Lydia said after a few seconds.

She began walking away, but not before giving the couple an odd look that clearly expressed, _"WTF are you two doing?"_

Darcy, who would probably have been really embarrassed if he hadn't been so happy, said, "Wait, Lydia, we can explain!"

Lydia's brow shot up and she replied, "Riiight... Freaks!"

Lizzie burst out laughing at Darcy's expression after Lydia's comment.

"Remind me to lock my door next time, Will.", she said as she reached for the house phone and put it on speaker.

* * *

"Lizzie! It's so good to hear from you. Mom said you came over with a surprise... And please excuse me, sis, but did you just day 'Will'? And I heard a man's voice that sounded an awful lot like Darcy..."

 _"Damn it, Mom! I told you not to go near a phone!"_ , she thought, annoyed at her mother.

Lizzie sighed and replied, "Well, Jane, I have to explain some things to you. I was gonna actually call you later. Would you mind video-chatting?"

"Not at all but-"

"And is Bing there with you? We kinda hoped to tell the two of you together." Darcy had been mouthing 'Ask for Bing'.

"Yeah, he is actually. I'm thinking about breaking my 'separate apartments' rule because he seems to spend more time here than at his own place...", Jane said laughing.

"Excellent. I'm gonna turn my laptop on and I expect a call from you in a couple of minutes."

"Alrighty. But you said 'we'. Is Lydia alright?"

"She's fine, Janie. Just call me."

"Okay... bye!"

Lizzie looked up at Darcy who had gotten off of Lizzie after Lydia walked in. She was still laying on the bed but then sat herself up.

"Can you pass me my laptop, please? And do you mind taking this phone back down to its base. I think this phone is the one in the living room."

Darcy paled. No way did he want to run into Lydia after what she had just witnessed.

He sighed but he did as told and made his way downstairs.

Lizzie booted up her computer and took a deep breath before clicking on the Skype icon on her home screen.

 _"So many things to tell Janie. I hope she isn't hurt that I didn't tell her earlier..."_ , she thought sadly while waiting for Jane's call.

* * *

**I'm moving at a snail's pace with this story lol. But that means it'll last longer, right? :P  
**

**Guys, I'd love to hear any suggestions/ideas you may have. I want Darcy and Lizzie to get married eventually but I don't know whether to make it before or after the baby is born. And I have yet to decide on a gender for the baby but I'm leaning towards one side...  
**

**Also, how do you guys think Lizzie's fans (aka YouTube) will find out about her pregnancy? That's coming up after everyone finds out.**

**Anyways, hope you liked it! I'll try to update soon.**

***And shout out to my international readers! I am from the USA but I see some views from all over the world, which is pretty cool! Thank you!* :D**


	13. Charlotte's Revenge

On his way down the stairs, Darcy hoped with all his heart and soul he wouldn't run into Lydia. But of course, as soon as he entered the living room, Lydia was sprawled out on the couch watching some reality television show.

 _"There is no way I can return the phone to its base without passing by Lydia... Can't I just leave the phone in another location? It will ring eventually...",_ he thought to himself.

Just as Darcy was turning around to leave, Lydia got up from the couch to head to the bathroom. However, all desire to pee fled from her body and she decided she would tease him. She was getting bored with the show anyway.

"Well, well, welll, what do we have here? The infamous tickle monster?!"

Darcy could feel the blood rushing to his face and his ears felt hot all of a sudden. The embarrassment he lacked when caught tickling Lizzie in bed was now hitting him full-force.

"I'm just here to return the phone.", he said extending the hand that held the phone towards Lydia.

She could tell he wasn't used to the teasing and took pity on him. She didn't want him to think badly of her now, after they'd gotten along so well in San Francisco. Lydia sighed and grabbed the phone from Darcy's hand, returning it to its base quickly so she could have a chance to speak with him before he bolted.

"Look, Darce, I'm sorry. The teasing is something we got from our dad. All three of us do it."

"No need to tell me- I concluded as much after meeting your father earlier today.", Darcy replied with a chuckle.

Lydia was glad to see he was at ease again. "But seriously guys, lock your door when you're going to be doing weird stuff. Can you imagine if you guys had been- you know what? Never mind that!", she said with a shudder as she tried to stop the influx of mental pictures of Darcy and her sister together.

Darcy laughed lightly again. Now it was Lydia's turn to be uncomfortable.

"Yes. Lizzie suggested we best keep the door locked right after you left. But you know, you could always try knocking."

Lydia rolled her eyes jokingly. "Yeah, yeah. I got used to not knocking. Lizzie was single for so long; it's kind of a bad habit... but hey, could I talk to you for a sec?"

Darcy's eyebrows furrowed lightly with concern. "Is everything alright?"

"No! I mean yeah, everything's fine. Nothing's wrong! It's just I wanted to talk about Lizzie. It's just that... well, I've never seen her so happy, y'know? Ever since you guys returned from LA to handle business with 'he-who-must-not-be-named', she's been so much more fun. She laughs more and doesn't take herself so seriously. The old Lizzie would've definitely freaked out way harder at getting knocked up. But it's you, Darce. You make her all giggly and stuff. And well... What I mean to say is... thanks. You make my big sister happy and that makes me happy."

Darcy was caught off guard, so his face showed his emotions. He was shocked. He still didn't know her well enough to even understand her sense of humor, so he was definitely not expecting a deep conversation.

Lydia saw his expression and spoke before he had a chance to reply.

"I know, it's weird for me to get all _emotional_. But my therapist says if I feel something strongly I should speak up, so I did. And I will always be grateful to you and Bing for making my sisters happy. They mean so much to me, and I finally was able to understand that they love me, too. But umm... yeah. I'm gonna go pee now. You should probably go see what Lizzie is up to."

Darcy just nodded and made his way back up the stairs. Impulsively, he went back down and said, "Lydia? Thank you. Lizzie means a lot to me, too. And since we're family now, you do too... Whenever you feel the need to express yourself, do no hesitate to tell me- if you would like, that is."

Lydia smiled and said, "Thanks, tickle monster.", before turning around and walking away.

 _"Hmm... Lydia is quite a character. There are many sides to her. I've got a long road ahead of me learning about this family..."_ , he thought as he climbed.

* * *

Darcy made it back into the room, making sure to lock the door behind him.

"Just in time!", Lizzie said before gesturing for him to join her on the bed and answering Jane's video-call.

"Hi, Jane! Hey, Bing!", Lizzie said excitedly as she waved at them. The extra excitement was a front for her nervousness.

"Hello, baby sis! It's so good to see you after so long. It feels like forever-"

Jane stopped mid-sentence as Darcy's frame and then face made its way onto her screen.

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "Hello, Jane. Bing."

Jane and Bing both looked at each other with raised eyebrows and then turned back to Darcy and said their hello's.

"So umm... I'm just gonna come right out and say this. Please don't hate me for not telling you sooner but-", Lizzie stopped and looked over at Darcy. He gave her an encouraging nod and a smile, which made her smile and continue her sentence. "-Darcy and I are dating."

Bing and Jane's faces lit up like Christmas trees; they started congratulating the couple and asking all the questions that anybody who knew about Lizzie and Darcy's 'colorful' past would ask.

Lizzie and Darcy both explained the past couple of months; from their theater date to hunting down Wickham together, to now (sparing them the juicy details, of course).

"And, well, umm...", Lizzie started to say.

"Lizzie is pregnant with our child.", Darcy announced proudly to the already stunned pair.

If their faces were shocked when they saw Darcy appear on the screen, then their expressions were now indescribable. Complete and utter shock.

"WHOA.", was all Bing said.

"And not 'Whoa' in a bad way! Just 'Whoa' in a surprised way... Wow. Oh- Congratulations! You two are obviously welcoming the baby with open arms.", Jane amended.

Bing snapped out of his trance and said, "Okay, the med school student in me wants to know everything about the baby. How far along are you?"

They filled the couple in on the way the pregnancy was discovered and their doctor's appointment.

"Lastly, I'm ten weeks in a couple of days. We just found out like two weeks ago but we wanted to tell Mom and Dad first."

"That's great, Lizzie! I'm so happy for the both of you! Does Charlotte know?"

Lizzie sighed. "Nope. I will tell her soon, though."

The sisters began talking to each other about the baby and began scheduling visits because Jane wanted to be there for her as much as she could. At one point, the men sort of gave a each other a look that said, _"We'll talk later."_ , and they both got off the computer and let their partners converse.

They chatted for almost an hour and at the end of the call Lizzie asked, "Are you sure you aren't mad at me for not telling you sooner? I really am sorry, Janie."

Jane shook her head no. "Don't be silly, Lizzie. Your situation was... complicated. It's perfectly understandable!".

_"Of course Jane would understand. Why was I so worried?"_

They said their goodbyes and then Lizzie got an idea.

* * *

She decided to email Charlotte the footage from when Darcy had asked her out. She was filming about her new phone that day and when he came in and asked her out, she had still been recording. She never uploaded the video because she didn't want anyone to know.

 _"What better way to break the news than by video?"_ , Lizzie thought as she emailed the clip to Charlotte and awaited a response.

Lizzie's phone rang and she already knew who it was going to be.

Darcy was sitting at Lizzie's desk, texting Bing, when he looked up and said, "You should answer that, Lizzie. I don't think Ms. Lu will appreciate you ignoring her calls."

Lizzie groaned in response and put the phone on speaker.

"Hey, since-fetuses best friend!", she said in a false cheerful tone.

"ELIZABETH BENNET! YOU WENT ON A DATE WITH DARCY AND DIDN'T TELL ME _OR_ THE VIEWERS?! I'M PISSED AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE PISSED!"

"Sorry?!"

"Spill! Details! Now!"

"Well, umm, we'd be happy to tell you everything but I'd rather do it face-to-face like we did with Jane and Bing so-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. We?"

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "Good afternoon, Ms. Lu. When are you available for a video-chat?"

Charlotte was silent for a few seconds before answering,"Hey there, Darcy... Uhh, I'm actually working right now. Your Aunt Catherine had some last minute adjustments to make to one of the projects, so Mr. Collins and I are at the offices today-"

"On a Saturday? Doesn't Ricky have a heart?", Lizzie commented.

"It's okay. I get paid overtime. But umm, yeah. I guess I'll be out of here later today. I'll let you know. And oh- don't think you're off the hook, Lizzie.", Charlotte said before hanging up.

_"Yikes. She's like this over a date. Imagine when we tell her everything else..."_

Little did Lizzie know, Charlotte was going to edit and upload the footage as payback for not telling her she went on a date with Darcy. _"I knew it! I knew they had chemistry. It was only a matter of time. She should've told me, though! Good luck explaining this footage to the viewers, bestie."_ , Charlotte thought smugly as she emailed Mr. Collins that her assignment was going to take a bit longer than she had anticipated.

* * *

**I kind of wanted Lydia and Darcy to have a moment. Anyways, hope you enjoyed.**


	14. Charlotte's Reaction

**_Optional_ Brief Recap:** Darcy fixes things between Bing and Jane. Gigi invites Lizzie to her house. Lizzie is tricked into spending time with Darcy during her stay with the Darcys (watching DVDs together,falling asleep on the couch together, playing tennis). Lizzie is tricked spending time with Darcy during their tour of San Fran. Lizzie and Darcy have fun during her 'corporate interview' where he makes her laugh by impersonating Fitz. Darcy gathers up the courage to ask Lizzie on a date and she agrees. The pair get tipsy and get intimate using faulty contraception. They are separated by Lydia's situation. Darcy buys Novelty Exposures and gets the video taken down. Lizzie and Darcy track down George together. They begin an official relationship but keep it on the down-low. Lizzie returns to San Fran with Lydia. During another stay at the Darcy's, Lizzie faints and finds out she's prego. Lizzie and Darcy visit the doc together and are both happy with the idea of a baby. Lydia, Gigi, Fitz, Lizzie's parents, and Jane and Bing are all supportive of Lizzie and Darcy's surprise pregnancy and their new relationship. Charlotte has yet to find out anything, except for the fact Lizzie went on a date with Darcy.

**Also, big thanks to FF user SOLYAHU for her ideas in this chapter!**

* * *

Darcy spent the rest of the afternoon handling business affairs by phone and email while Lizzie took a nap. She had nothing better to do until Charlotte called and she was super tired. The stress and relief of telling her family their little secret was physically draining.

Lydia came by to announce when dinner was ready. She made sure to knock loudly before yelling,"Dinner's ready, lovebirds!"

Darcy had just finished typing up his last email for the day, and he yelled out,"Thank you, Lydia! We'll be down in a moment."

Lizzie was still asleep. He hadn't noticed exactly when she had fallen asleep, but he quickly learned that noise didn't bother her and he didn't have to try to speak lower while on the phone.

After shutting off his laptop, Darcy looked over at his pregnant girlfriend.

 _"She looks so peaceful like this..."_ , Darcy acknowledged while debating whether or not to wake her up for dinner. He really didn't want to face the Bennets alone, so the selfish side of him wanted to wake her up. _"She needs to eat, right?"_ , he thought, trying to give himself a legitimate reason for disrupting what appeared to be a very satisfying nap.

That seemed to work fine for him and he was about to wake her up when he had an idea.

"I hope she doesn't mind...", he said to himself as he snapped a picture of her. She was on her side, one arm beneath her pillow, the other resting near her belly. She was almost smiling, too. She was too cute and he couldn't help himself.

Darcy sat beside her on the bed and started running his fingers through her hair. He bent down near her ear and whispered, "Lizzie, my love, wake up. Your mother has prepared dinner."

She stirred and he continued whispering for her to wake up. When that failed, he started to place a series of short kisses all over her ear, neck, and face. Lizzie smiled at this and then opened her eyes slowly. She blinked several times and then smiled widely as she remembered where she was and saw who had woken her up.

* * *

The dinner was much more pleasant than lunch. Now that their little secret was out in the open, the family could talk about the baby and the future.

"So Lizzie, Janie called. Did ya speak with her?", Mrs. Bennet asked as they sat at the table eating spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and mixed salad.

Lizzie got mad and started telling her mom that she wasn't supposed to go near a phone, when Darcy stepped in and changed the direction of the conversation.

"Bing and Jane were very pleased. And I don't know if you remember, Lizzie, but Jane mentioned something about moving in with Bing, right?"

Mr. Bennet was impressed at how quickly Darcy had learned to handle Mrs. Bennet. He expertly shifted the focus from himself and Lizzie to Bing and Jane.

After dinner was over, Lizzie and Darcy went back up to Lizzie's room in order to have a chat while they waited for Charlotte's call.

On the way up the stairs, Lizzie said to him jokingly, "I don't think Jane is going to appreciate how you threw her and Bing under the bus."

Darcy just shrugged and replied, "But you and your mom stopped arguing, so I think Jane would understand."

They had settled into their spots, Lizzie sitting indian-style on her bed and Darcy sitting across from her in her computer chair, when Mrs. Bennet barged in decked out in a super tight yoga outfit with a rolled mat under her arm and a bottle of water in her hand.

"It's yoga time, y'all! Remember? I had turned your room into my meditation haven while you were gone. I need to do this everyday, undisturbed, for my poor nerves. Your room is the best spot. Unless you'd care to join me? You know, I heard yoga is good for the baby-"

"No thanks, mom. We'll be out of your hair... Mom-", Lizzie said eyeing her mom up and down. She looked like one of those older women who try to squeeze into young women's clothing.

Darcy chimed in with an idea of his own, in order to avoid another argument between mother and daughter. "Actually Francine, would you mind terribly if I stole Lizzie away until tomorrow? I have the keys to Netherfield and I thought we might stay over there tonight. You know, in order to avoid causing too much inconvenience."

"Oh, Darcy darlin'! You two are family! No inconvenience here! But if y'all wanna spend some time together, I don't mind.", she said and proceeded to wink and nudge Darcy in the ribs with her elbow.

"Great! Let's go say bye to Dad and Lydia. Bye, mom.", Lizzie said quickly, trying to escape her mom's embarrassing assumptions.

"I wanna see y'all here bright and early for a nice Sunday luncheon!", Mrs. Bennet called out to them as they exited the room. "And oh! Don't forget your cake! It's amazing, if I do say so myself!"

* * *

Lizzie teared up in the car. Sometimes her mom annoyed her to no end, but sometimes, her mother could be the sweetest person in the world. Lizzie wiped the tear that had escaped before Darcy could notice.

"How can she be so infuriating one minute and then so lovely the next?! I don't get it!"

Darcy didn't say a word. He just grabbed her hand with his free hand as he drove them to Netherfield in a rental he had ordered while he was handling business. He liked listening to her rant and rave.

Darcy was listening with a slightly amused smile to all the ranting of his girlfriend in the car. He found that her energy and passion was adorable, and her raving about convoluted plans and incorrigible parents was more entertaining than anything he could watch on TV. But this time, she was complaining about her mother giving her emotional whiplash. She went from annoying to best-mother-in-the-world in only the walk from Lizzie's room to the kitchen.

The cake was a beautiful chocolate cake that said _'My grandbaby is lucky to have a momma and daddy like y'all!'_ with icing and then it had a heart made out of mini chocolate chips underneath. The fact that her parents were being supportive made her really happy, so this cake just made her really emotional. She was blaming it on her hormones, however.

When they got to Netherfield, Lizzie went straight to the kitchen to put the cake down. She snapped a picture of it to send to Jane later and so she could look at it whenever her mother pissed her off; it might remind her that her mother could be awesome sometimes.

She also was craving a piece. She could smell the hint of vanilla extract in the cake during the whole ride with her new pregnancy nose and she couldn't resist any longer. She looked for two plates and forks and a knife to serve herself and Darcy. _"Hmm, this is becoming kind of like a second nature."_ , she thought to herself as she noticed that now whatever she was going to do, she considered Darcy as well.

Darcy, who had just entered the kitchen after taking their bags up to his room, leaned back against the wall and watched his girlfriend busy herself with the cake. The fact that they were now alone didn't escape him and he had plans for them after their dessert.

As they were eating, Darcy tried to snap a picture of Lizzie with his phone.

"Whoa, whoa! If you're gonna take a picture of me stuffing my face, at least let me pose.", she protested as she jokingly attempted a seductive pose with the forkful of cake.

"Lemme see!", Lizzie demanded playfully as she grabbed his phone and then nodded her approval of the picture.

She wasn't aware, but that quick little pose deepened within Darcy a desire that was already barely restrained. He set that picture as his phone's background, and then quickly got up to pick up his and Lizzie's plates.

He had already put them in the sink when Lizzie yelled, "Will! What's your problem? I wasn't finished yet!"

He shrugged casually which angered Lizzie even more. It wasn't the cake that angered her; it was the fact that he thought he could do whatever he wanted.

She got up and made her way to the sink to retrieve her plate. "If you think I'm just gonna sit there and let you do that, you got another thing coming-"

Darcy intercepted her path and said, "Sshh!"

 _"Oh, hell no! Did he just_ shush _me?!"_

She looked up at Darcy with fire in her eyes, and he just calmly grabbed her hands and intertwined them with his own.

"Allow me to divert your thoughts to something more pleasant…", he said before leaning down to kiss her.

Within seconds she was on her tippy toes, her neck craning so Darcy wouldn't be the only one putting forth the effort; the remnants of her piece of cake quickly forgotten.

* * *

Neither could recall how or when they got to Darcy's room because they were so wrapped up in their passionate embrace.

Lizzie pulled away from a reluctant Darcy, grabbed something out of her bag, and smiled promisingly at the pouting man before her as she withdrew into the en suite bathroom.

Darcy pulled at his tie and sighed frustrated at his inability to undo the knot. _"Lizzie is to blame. I can never do anything correctly while I have her on my mind."_

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

A series of noises from Lizzie's bag interrupted Darcy's thoughts.

"If that is Ms. Lu, she has terrible timing.", Darcy said to himself with an annoyed tone. He seemed to have worked himself into a bit of a bad mood. Like when a child is told they have to wait until after supper to eat their candy.

He checked her screen and saw that the noises came as a result of some twitter messages. _"Oh, only social media notifications; nothing important. I'll just put the phone on silent."_

After about a minute, however, the devilish device kept up its rebellion and started buzzing with the flow of incoming messages. There was absolutely no way he could ignore that.

One thing about Darcy is that he's painfully honest and dislikes even a slight hint of duplicity, but he knows the ruckus is just some unimportant Twitter and Tumblr explosion of some kind, probably from their getting together. _"I wonder who revealed our secret? Probably Gigi…"_.

Now he was faced with a decision: should he tell Lizzie her phone was blowing up and put their intimate moments off for God knows how long later in the evening, or shut off her phone and tell her afterwards? Meanwhile, the damned phone started buzzing and that settled it.

_"I don't know if the Digital Gods have conspired against me to ruin my current happiness, but I will not allow it! I am sure we don't have much time until Ms. Lu calls and I don't know if after our conversation Lizzie and I will be in the mood."_

He let his libido win and shut off her phone. He was feeling rather guilty about it and decided he would tell her about it, but all coherent thought was lost when Lizzie opened the door to the bathroom.

She stepped out, barefoot, in a lacy two-piece ensemble from Victoria's Secret. With one hand on her hips and the other twirling her hair, she walked slowly towards Darcy who was just staring at her wide-eyed and hungry.

* * *

After the couple made love, Darcy gently rubbed Lizzie's belly as their breathing evened. Still no super obvious sign, but he knew their baby was growing in there. They were lying next to each other and began talking about things they'd like to accomplish before the baby arrives and the future and just random things. Darcy always made mental notes about what she said, with every intention of making her ideas come to life.

"What time is it? Maybe we missed Char's call?", Lizzie asked after their conversation simmered down.

 _"Crap."_ Darcy had abruptly stopped rubbing Lizzie's slightly pudgy belly.

Lizzie started to get up to look for her phone, when Darcy pulled her arm to stop her.

"Lizzie, I have a confession to make.", Darcy said seriously. He was scared she'd be mad at him and he hated to ruin their lovely night together.

"Okay...", she said with a smile and threw herself back on the bed. She thought that Darcy was trying to be playful and tease her. For a man who disliked deception, he sure had the best poker face of anyone Lizzie knew, so she had a hard time discerning when he was kidding and when he wasn't.

"Would you like to confess that I am a _divine_ sex goddess and that you'll worship me forever?", she asked flirtatiously.

Darcy's brows raised in surprise; he wasn't expecting that. Here he was dreading her getting upset at him, and she was flirting with him.

He smiled and responded, "Of course.", before setting a gentle kiss on her lips. She had her hair spread around her face and she was still sort of flushed from their exercise; he couldn't resist.

"Which one is it? The former or the latter?", Lizzie challenged.

Darcy laughed, recognizing it as a trick question of some sort, he simply answered, "Both, babe. But really, I must tell you something. And please don't be angry with me."

Lizzie frowned,"Okay. What is it?"

"Well, when you were in the bathroom, your phone kept beeping and buzzing with notifications and I found it annoying so I turned it off..."

"Okay..."

"That's it. I apologize. I should have asked."

Lizzie burst out laughing. "Seriously, Will? Wowww. Aside from the fact that Charlotte will be mega pissed if I missed her call, I have no problem with you turning off my phone...".

"Really? Had someone shut off my phone, I would be at least annoyed."

"But you're not just someone, you're my _boyfriend_. But if it bothers you that much, then RAWR; I'm angry. And I want payback!", Lizzie said in a pretend-annoyed voice.

"What would you like me to do?"

"Hmmm... I know. First hand me my phone.", she said but then her voice changed and became more uncertain. "I'd like for you to appear on my videos again. And I'd like to reveal, well, everything. Not _everything_ , but...you know.", she said pointing to her belly. She turned on her phone and waited for it to boot. "When we spoke to Charlotte she mentioned the viewers and I have noticed that I haven't uploaded a video in forever...".

Darcy's expression was not a happy one. The internet had been a place of ridicule for him, but he'd do anything to make Lizzie happy, so he nodded in agreement.

"Really? Great! I'd like to tell everyone gradually. You know, first let's tell them we're dating. Let them digest that for a little bit. And then, before I blow up like a balloon, I'd like to share the news."

"Okay. That sounds alright. When would you like to do this?"

"I don't know. Whenever. But soon, I guess. And since I'll be done with the independent study this week, I wouldn't even need Charlotte to edit it for me."

"About that- what are you going to do after it's finished? Are you going back home?"

"Actually-"

She was interrupted by her phone ringing. She hadn't had a chance to check her notifications and there's no way she could now- Charlotte was finally calling.

* * *

"Hey, Char!", Lizzie answered nervously as she put the phone on speaker.

"Sooo... Care to explain the video? I'm sure your viewers would like an explanation as well!", Charlotte answered curtly.

"Well, Char... I'm gonna explain but you can't interrupt us okay?"

"Ohhh, Darcy is there with you, huh? Fine; I won't say a word."

Lizzie could tell Charlottle was fuming and she understands why. They're best friends and even though their lives have gotten busy, news like this should've been shared a while ago.

"Okay, so it all started...", Lizzie said and then she and Darcy filled Charlotte in on everything. Like, _everything_. Darcy blushed a few times times as Lizzie recounted certain parts of their rocky relationship.

"And now we're sitting naked in Darcy's room at Netherfield... Okay, you can speak now."

"SERIOUSLY?!... And nobody is freaking out?!", Charlotte finally responded.

Darcy couldn't believe Charlotte and Lizzie were so open with each other. She didn't even react to the fact that she was speaking to them while they were _in the nude_. He couldn't even remember the last time he had spoken so frankly with someone.

The fact that Charlotte knew he wasn't clothed made Darcy uncomfortable, so he got off the bed and threw on a pair of his '$5000 boxers' and handed Lizzie the get-up she had on earlier, which she put on while speaking to Charlotte. Darcy rejoined her on the bed and continued listening to the conversation.

"Well, at first we were, but now we're okay. It's like my dad said, we're adults and there's really no reason why we shouldn't have this baby."

"Lizzie, I'm happy you guys are happy but I just can't understand how you two can be so nonchalant about this. A baby is a life changer. Sure, Darcy has money, but money isn't everything. Your life isn't going to be yours anymore. I never would have expected this from you two."

Here Darcy jumped in. He felt that she was patronizing them. _"I am older than her, right?"_

"Charlotte, I don't mean to come across as rude, but we understand all of that. We've already talked about it and we're okay with the fact that our lives are going to change forever. We've been doing research and we've got the support of Francine and Thomas-"

"You're on a first name basis with the Bennets now?! Wow.", Charlotte laughed and then sighed. This was a big shocker but she couldn't stay mad at her friend. That baby should be a source of joy right now, not worry.

"Alright. Well, clearly you guys are serious about this and I have nothing but congratulations for you. It'll take some time for me to get used to the fact that you're gonna be a mommy. But you better keep me updated from now on... Seriously though Lizzie, you could have told me sooner..."

"I'm sorry, bestie! We just wanted to keep us to ourselves for a while. But then with the unexpected news of the pregnancy, we were forced to tell..."

"So I was the last one to find out, huh?"

"Yeah... Sorry about that! The only ones left are the viewers."

"Oh... I thought you knew. My twitter has been super busy, I assumed yours would, too..."

"Yeah, Will mentioned I was getting notifications earlier but he turned off my phone and it was off for a while...".

"Ha ha, I bet it was. But umm, yeah. I was kind of angry that you hadn't told me that you and Darcy were a thing! I totally knew it would happen so I wasn't surprised but the fact that you kept me in the dark... I uploaded the video you sent me to YouTube and now the viewers are going insane!"

"You what?!", Lizzie exclaimed.

"Whoa, look at the time! I've gotta go! I'll talk to you tomorrow! Bye, bestie! Bye, Darcy!", Charlotte said quickly before hanging up.

"Well, there goes our plan.", Darcy said with a smile. "You know, with you, nothing seems to ever go right."

"That's what comes along with me. Craziness and spontaneity. Take it or leave it."

"I'll gladly take it.", he said before planting a kiss on her forehead, and leaving her side and heading to the bathroom.

"So then a new video tomorrow? We can't leave them hanging for too long!"

"Sure.", Darcy mumbled through toothpaste, "We can do it tomorrow at your parents' after your mother's lunch."

"Perfect.", Lizzie said.

All of a sudden, she had a strong urge to pee. "I'm definitely not going to miss this when you're out!", she said to her belly. She got up off the bed reluctantly and made her way towards the bathroom. She passed Darcy who was finishing up brushing his teeth and went straight for the toilet.

Darcy froze. He had never been in the bathroom with her when she was actually using it.

Lizzie burst out laughing. "Chill out, Will. It's just pee! Nooo! Don't go! Stay in here and let's talk about what we're going to say tomorrow."

Darcy chuckled. "Do other people do this? Converse in the bathroom?". In his prim and proper upbringing, he never experienced anything like this.

"I've always done this with my sisters. Never with a boyfriend, though. There's a first time for everything."

Darcy sat on the counter and faced Lizzie. "Okay, so what should we say tomorrow?"

Lizzie just smiled. He had loosened up around her so much and she was enjoying it.

"What?", he asked wondering at the weird grin on her face.

"I love you, William."

"I love you, too, Lizzie.". They were both glad they could say it aloud now.

"So about tomorrow..."

* * *

**So in the upcoming chapters they explain themselves to the viewers, Lizzie finishes her independent study and decides what she's going to do until graduation, some people aren't too happy with Lizzie and Darcy's relationships, and Lizzie and Charlotte celebrate their 24th birthdays!**


	15. Lizzie Moves In

Lizzie and Darcy had just finished eating Mrs. Bennet's Sunday lunch. Their visit was coming to an end, and they were planning to leave later that evening.

A red light was on the camera, indicating that it was recording. They were sitting on a bench in Lizzie's room in the usual spot in front of the door.

"Are you ready?", Lizzie asked Darcy who was just staring at the camera like a deer in headlights.

He nodded yes nervously and gulped. His throat felt dry all of a sudden. _"I was fine just a moment ago..."_

Lizzie noticed his uncertainty and grabbed his hand reassuringly off-screen. She gave him a quick smile which made him feel a little easier.

"Well then, let's get straight to it!", she said turning to face the camera. "My name is Lizzie Bennet..."

She nudged Darcy with her elbow and he said, "And I'm William Darcy..."

"... And we've got some explaining to dooo!", Lizzie said trying to imitate the famous line from the show 'I Love Lucy'.

***Cue theme music***

"So umm... Yea! You all have Charlotte to thank for uploading the last video _without my knowledge._ We were gonna tell you guys- I swear- but we kind of wanted privacy for a little while, ya know?

But to answer the most asked questions in comments: Yes, William and I went on a date. Yes, he and I had a great time together-".

She and Darcy exchanged a knowing glance. It was less than a second long, but it spoke volumes. She smiled a mischievous smile and he didn't smile, but his eyes lit up briefly at the memory of their first time together.

Darcy cleared his throat and jumped in, "-And yes, Lizzie Bennet is now my girlfriend." And at that he did smile. He was glad to share it with the world. He was glad to redeem himself on camera. Those earlier videos meant nothing now because she was now his and carrying his child.

"Now, I know you're all wondering how this happened. We're gonna fill you in, don't worry! We wouldn't leave you all hanging like that, right Will?"

"That is correct, Lizzie. And if I may interrupt your monologue?"

"Mmhmm."

"If I recall correctly, in one of your question-and-answer videos you asked, 'In what universe would Darcy be in my room?' Well, I'd like to know what you have to say about that now.", he teased.

Lizzie laughed and replied, "Obviously I was wrong! No need to rub in my face!"

He smiled a self-satisfied smile and made a hand gesture for Lizzie to continue talking. She rolled her eyes at him and spoke.

"Anywayyy, Darcy and I went to go see Shakespeare that evening...". And the couple briefly summarized how they got together without getting too specific (they weren't ready to reveal the pregnancy yet). She told everyone about how it was Darcy who shut down the website (which most of the viewers already knew thanks to the Domino app videos) and how, together, they got Wickham to give them the last copy of the tape (she didn't include the fact that Darcy bought the porn company or that they beat up Wickham).

"And we've just told my parents about us! I was really nervous about that... but they love William! Mom thinks everything he does is rainbows and unicorns and Dad showed him his _trains_! That's a _big_ deal!"

There was a cut and now Lizzie had on her mother's costume theater props.

"Oh Darcy, darlin'! You are just as sweet as cherry pie! You can go ahead and call me Mama! I just looove my future sons-in-law! My grandbabies are gonna be beautiful!", she said in her mother's Southern drawl.

Another cut and Lizzie had her dad's props on.

"You see these beauties right here, Darcy? These are trains I've been collecting since I was a boy. Would you like me to show you the train track? I usually only fire it up around Christmas time, but I'd make an exception for you, son.", she said in between taking fake puffs from the pipe.

Darcy chuckled and said, "I used to think you exaggerated with costume theater, but now I see that your depictions are eerily accurate."

"Tell me about it. But later on, we'll be back in San Francisco and my father will be the one to put up with my mother's excitable nature alone."

"About that... what are you planning to do after this week? I have it in my calendar that this week is the last week of your independent study..."

"Well... I was thinking about taking you up on your offer. You know, to stay with you. Dr. Gardiner's relatives are coming back in a couple of weeks and I had only been allowed to stay there for this project...

Now that it's almost over and I have a _very_ good reason to stay in San Francisco, I was thinking of staying and setting up a plan for the future... Don't worry, I'll explain in another video, guys.

So what do you say, Will? I can stay until I have to come back home for graduation... Actually, before I leave, I should leave the measurements for my cap and gown with Mom so she can order them for me..."

The video ends here abruptly because Lizzie began wondering aloud about what size she might be by the time graduation rolls around and if that had been left in, there would be speculation about her being pregnant.

They sent what they filmed to Charlotte, who would edit the video tonight and upload the video tomorrow.

* * *

"We're ready to go, Mom and Dad! Where's Lydia?", Lizzie asked as Darcy helped Lizzie down the stairs.

"I'm not going, sis!", Lizzie yelled from the den.

"Why not? I thought you and I were gonna remain San Fran roomies. It was nice having someone at home with me."

Lydia appeared and said, "I'm thinking about taking summer classes and I'm gonna ask Mary to help me pick them out..."

Lizzie pouted but couldn't protest. That was a very good reason to stay behind.

"...but since we spent 99% of our time at Darcy's house, why don't you just move in with him? It'd be safer, too. Ya know, for the baby. If something were to happen while you were alone at your place... But at Darcy's, you'd never be home alone!"

Mrs. Bennet lit up like a Christmas tree. "Oh Lydia, baby girl, you're so smart! Elizabeth Bennet, if you think I'm gonna let you leave here so you can be alone with my grandbaby, you are out of your mind! Darcy, you wouldn't mind having Lizzie stay with you, would you? It's only right."

"Not at all, Mrs. Bennet. I actually have invited Lizzie to move in on several occasions but she never ceded.", Darcy answered while Lizzie leered menacingly at Darcy.

 _"What an ass!_ ", she thought annoyed. He purposely said that because he knew her mother would bother her about it.

"Lizzie! How could you turn poor Darcy down? She can be so stubborn sometimes! Good luck with her, Darcy dear. If she acts up, you just gimme a call!"

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Fine! I'll move in with Will! I was going to anyway! What difference does a week make?!", she replied irritatedly.

Darcy felt kind of guilty for putting her in a bad mood, so he did something unexpected. He put a hand on Lizzie's chin and brought her face toward his, stooped down, and kissed her very sweetly- in front of her parents! He wasn't one for public displays of affection (he had loathed being in a room with Bing and Jane at Netherfield for that very reason) but he honestly felt like the Bennets were family now, so he didn't even hesitate.

He felt Lizzie's brows, which were furrowed in annoyance, shift back to their normal positions.

He broke the kiss and said, "I am sorry if I upset you, Lizzie. I don't like to have you angry with me. Do you forgive me?"

The Bennets saw how Darcy treated their daughter and they saw how she acted around him, and they couldn't have picked a better man for their Lizzie. Mr. Bennet was especially proud. Lizzie always said she'd never marry for anything other than the deepest love and he was pretty sure they were on their way.

Lydia was also glad for her sister but fulfilled her duty as a bratty little sister and said, "Eww! Get a room, you two!". Her and Gigi's plan had worked. Before leaving, Lydia and Gigi tried to think of a way to make Lizzie move in with Darcy. They planned to bring the case to Mrs. Bennet. They didn't anticipate, however, that Lizzie would have decided to move in on her own.

Lydia texted Gigi the good news and she made sure she wasn't home when the couple arrived or when they got up in the morning. She wanted to give them some alone time, so she planned a girl's night with Fitz.

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy stopped by Lizzie's place to get all her stuff and then they made their way to the Darcy estate. When they got there, her things were taken to Darcy's room, which was now Lizzie's room, too. They spent the rest of the night making space and accommodating Lizzie's things into his- correction: their- drawers.

That night they slept wrapped in each other's arms, tired from traveling and happy that Lizzie didn't have to leave at night anymore. They felt good to have everyone know they were together; it felt official now. Their relationship had just gone to another level and both felt excited about the fact that they would get to do this every night for as long as they chose.

Monday morning, Lizzie woke up before Darcy. It was around 5am, and Darcy usually woke up at 6am to go for a run before getting ready for work.

She had to pee, as usual, and she was craving leftovers from her mother's cake. Before she left the room, however, she stared at her sleeping boyfriend as he often does with her.

 _"I don't remember if I've ever seen Will sleeping... He always wakes up first. He looks so carefree; younger even..."_ , she thought before grabbing her phone. _"I don't get to see this often, so let me just take a quick picture..."_

Lizzie grabbed her phone, turned on the lamp that Darcy was facing, and snapped a quick picture. She smiled at how innocent he looked in the picture and set it as her background. She planted a soft kiss on his forehead before exiting the room.

That afternoon, Lizzie went over to Darcy's office for lunch. Lizzie was sitting comfortably on Darcy's lap while they perused the comments from the most recent video on Darcy's desktop computer.

Lizzie was laughing and shaking her head at the fact that the majority of the comments were about how she and Darcy probably had sex. Darcy was internally cringing at some of the more graphic comments.

"Look at this one; it has like a hundred thumbs up! 'Lizzie and Darcy totally 'binged'!' Ha! I guess it won't come as a huge surprise when we tell them about our baby."

"Now that you bring up the baby...", Darcy said with a smile, while rubbing Lizzie's belly "... you're ten weeks pregnant today."

"That's right!", Lizzie exclaimed. She had totally forgotten about that with all the commotion about Charlotte's unexpected upload. But Darcy had his handy, dandy calendar to remind him of things.

Darcy reached down into one of his desk drawers and pulled out one of the baby books he had ordered. He set the book down in front of them and opened it to a bookmarked page.

"At ten weeks, your baby...", he read. They spent the rest of the lunch break together, reading facts about their developing child.

Lizzie finally was able to track down Gigi and told her that she had moved in, but of course, Gigi was already aware and gave Lizzie a big hug.

* * *

Darcy held a staff meeting that evening. Before his staff went home for the day or retired to their rooms, Darcy wanted to introduce Lizzie to everyone. He gathered all the drivers, gardeners, cleaners, maintenance men, and all part-time workers in the front of the house.

"Good evening, everyone. I apologize for any inconvenience this meeting may have caused any of you-", Darcy said as he addressed all of the house employees. He was interrupted by mumbles of "It's no problem, Mr. Darcy!" or "It's perfectly fine, sir."

"-but I feel it is important that I formally introduce you all to my girlfriend, Ms. Elizabeth Bennet. She will be living here from now on and I would like you all to treat her as you would any member of the Darcy family."

Lizzie waved shyly at the staff. They all said variations of 'hello'. She then added, "Please, call me Lizzie. And don't be shy! Say hi if you see me around so I can learn your names!"

"Also, one additional piece of information that I will make you all privy to: Lizzie is carrying our future son or daughter, so I would appreciate it tremendously if you all could assist her if she looks like she's having trouble with something, even if she refuses. She happens to be very stubborn."

Before Lizzie could turn to give Darcy a playful punch on the arm, the crowd burst into congratulations for the pair and then Darcy concluded the meeting.

* * *

The next day, Darcy was swamped and couldn't meet with Lizzie for lunch. He had received an email that the location they had booked for Pemberley's third annual charity event was actually never confirmed and he had to do a video conference with the charity's board members and his Aunt Catherine so that they could figure out what to do. This was extra stressful because he and his Aunt Catherine had had a falling out since he last visited her at Collins & Collins.

Catherine DeBourgh thought that because she was older and more experienced, whatever business suggestions she made, Darcy should implement.

"I've been doing this since before you were born, darling. I know I am correct.", she would say. But Darcy wanted to expand and take risks with modernizing certain aspects of the company and he and his aunt were not in agreement. They bumped heads all the time, but this last argument left their business relationship (which had basically become their personal relationship since they only ever discussed Georgiana and business) shattered.

Darcy wanted to invest in the Domino application for mobile devices but his aunt thought it was a waste of money and time. He was one of the brains behind this idea and he was really attached to it, so he took his aunt's blunt criticisms of the project very personally. Suffice it to say they had an ugly spat and Mrs. DeBourgh left the offices pretty miffed.

"We have to move the date of the charity ball closer, Mr. Darcy. There aren't any other locales in the area spacious enough for the number of guests and they are all booked up for later on in the season.", said one of the board members.

"What dates do they have available? We would have to let the catering company and decorators and all the other people involved with this event know as soon as possible.", Darcy inquired.

"Well, they have the Saturday after next available. April 27th."

"Hmmm. That sounds familiar...", he thought while checking his calendar just to make sure.

"No, that date will not do. Is there no other date available?"

"That is the best option, sir. We want to give everyone enough time to prepare, and that is the latest available date we can host the event."

_"That's the same day as Lizzie's birthday! I don't want to be working on her birthday, I want to spend time with her. I'll have to talk to her about this..."_

"Fine. If there is no other more convenient date, then it will have to do. And please, reserve the date for next year's function right away. I don't want a mistake like this to happen again."

"It wouldn't have happened if I would have been head of the charity's department...", Aunt Catherine said exaggeratedly before signing off of the video conference. Those were the first and last words she had uttered during the meeting. Darcy dreaded having to see her. She may be his last living blood relative besides Gigi, but that doesn't mean he has to get along with her.

* * *

Darcy sent out a mass email to all Pemberley staff and all the people on the event's list.

_'There has been a change of date for the third annual Pemberley Charity Fundraiser. The event has been moved up to the 27th of April. Official invitations will be mailed out soon. If there are any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask myself or any of the charity board members, whose contact information is posted below. Pemberley Digital apologizes for any inconveniences this change may have occasioned. Thank you._

_-William F. Darcy, CEO Pemberley Digital Enterprises_

* * *

Caroline was on the way to the Airport when she received this email. She had been abroad for the past couple of months, seeking inspiration for her interior remodel of Netherfield. Bing didn't agree to it yet, but he wouldn't say no to his big sister, would he? Especially when she had made up with Jane?

She had traveled to South and Central America and had a whole sub-tropical theme in mind, when her phone beeped and she had an email from Darcy.

 _"Darcy?!"_ , she thought, surprised. Darcy hadn't spoken to her in months. When he discovered that Caroline had set up the kiss between Bing's friend and Jane, he wanted nothing to do with her. He felt betrayed and really gullible for falling for her scheme.

Caroline missed her friend. He was always the one she could be snooty with around Bing. She also thought that they would inevitably end up together. So when she saw his name, she immediately opened the email.

"Oh, a mass message. The date is moved up. Ugh. I have to upgrade the delivery of my Dolce dress to express if I'm planning to wear it..."

After she had checked in, Caroline had time to spare until boarding for first class to Los Angeles would begin. So, she did what she hadn't done in months, and checked YouTube.

She caught up on all of Lizzie's videos. She was appalled when she saw Darcy make a fool of himself with the wig, and she nearly had a heart attack when she saw Darcy ask Lizzie out. She had tried her best to keep them apart but she failed miserably.

Then, she saw Darcy was in the thumbnail for the next video. She assumed it would be a description of their date but she just about died of mortification when she saw the most recent video. And the most thumbed up comment implying Lizzie and Darcy and 'sex' left her feeling faint.

 _"Wowwww, Lizzie is really smart, I'll give her that. But no way will I allow him to be associated with the likes of her! Jane is appropriate and has actual talent when it comes to fashion, so I don't have to worry about her making my brother look bad. But Lizzie! Ughh!_ "

During the long flight, she was really distressed about Darcy and Lizzie being together. She wasn't sure if she was welcome at his home, so she would confront him about this at the charity event.

* * *

**Thanks to FF user SOLYAHU. She's basically ghost writing this story! Lol**

**K, so dates. I don't want to confuse anyone so if you read this and are left wondering what the heck I just said, then forget you even read it. This is mostly for myself and anyone else who might be interested in dates.**

**Lizzie and Darcy's baby was conceived Monday, Jan 28 in my fic's world. She discovered she was pregnant when she was around 8 weeks on a Sunday so that was late March. This chapter takes place mid-April at 10 weeks prego. I think she'll give birth in early November (wow that's pretty far right?). But we'll make it eventually lol. I don't plan on going week by week , or anything like that. Some days will be long (like the Saturday that spanned the last 3 chapters lol) and sometimes I may jump weeks ahead to move the story along quicker because I'm writing this story by events, not really by a calendar.**

**I might just incorporate dates here and there just to give you guys a feel of where in year the story is taking place. I've gone past the date LBD finished, so let's see how the rest of the year and its holidays affect Lizzie and the story. Bare with me guys!**

**And thank you so much for sticking to the story! I never had a clear idea of how far I wanted to take this or how long I wanted to drag it out, so I'm really happy with how it's gone so far and I would really appreciate feedback! xoxo**


	16. Lizzie's Birthday Showdown

**Heads up: Really long chapter! Over 6K!  
**

* * *

Darcy made his way to Lizzie's office after sending the email and explained the situation about the charity event being on the same day as her birthday.

"It's no big deal. Really! If it were up to me, Char and I would be curled up watching movies and eating Chinese food. We always hated it when our mothers joined forces to throw us a party."

"So you won't attend the function?"

"If you want me to go, then I will. As long as Charlotte can come, too. We were texting each other this morning about what we were gonna do for our birthday. Your event will give us somewhere to be.", Lizzie said smiling.

Darcy was relieved that Lizzie wasn't upset and that she would at least be entertained with Charlotte while he worked at the event. But he still wanted to do something to honor her birthday and he knew just what to do.

* * *

The week passed quickly and Friday was the last day of Lizzie's project. She decided to film a video marking the end of her independent study and the start of her new project.

She talked about her plan with Darcy last night before bed and he was very supportive. Darcy had just come from brushing his teeth and he was ready to go to sleep, when he found Lizzie was sitting on the bed indian-style, looking very excited about something.

He shot her a questioning look and sat down on their bed, across from her, mimicking her pose which made Lizzie laugh because his legs were so long. After she had finished laughing at him and had given him a quick apology kiss, he gave her a questioning look again, which prompted her to speak about what was on her mind.

"So remember when I mentioned plans for the future a little while back? Well, since you're a smart, successful businessman, I thought I could use your advice."

Darcy felt all proud and cocky for a few seconds due to Lizzie's praise. He got similar compliments all the time, but he liked that Lizzie thought highly of him.

"Alright. I will advise you on anything you like, my love."

"Uh uh. No 'my love'. Be as objective as you can, okay?"

Darcy nodded. He put his business face on and gestured for Lizzie to continue.

"So you know how my videos have hundreds of thousands of views, right? Well, several people have messaged me offering to back me if I start my own show.

"I've been thinking, and I want to continue making web content. It's so much fun and the interaction with the viewers is amazing. And I'd be putting my mass comm degree to good use. Communicating with the masses via web.

"My idea is to take costume theater to the next level. I'm thinking maybe I start a scripted show where people send me anecdotes and I act out their stories and upload them on a weekly 30-minute show. Scripted web shows are becoming more and more popular and I'd like to get in on it before the web is completely saturated with them.

"I'm already kind of popular on YouTube, ya know? Might as well use my influence for my own benefit. Right?"

Darcy was quiet for a few seconds and then started grilling Lizzie about the possible flaws in her business plan.

She had answers for everything.

"With my backers' money I can rent a location to shoot, hire actors and co-producers, writers, buy props, and cover everything I would need to do the show.

"And I'm thinking if it goes over successfully maybe I can sell DVDs, toys, shirts, apps, and other things fans would like. And if it goes extremely well, I could maybe put together a pilot for television. Who knows? The possibilities are endless!"

Lizzie was really excited. And Darcy thought the idea was innovative. It would be similar to what the Diaries were and her fan-base was growing more and more every day.

Darcy said, "Well, Ms. Bennet, I know it was never your intent to pitch your idea to me so that I should try to become one of these financial backers of which you speak, but how much are they offering you? I'll triple it. At Pemberley Digital we can set up a whole department around your show and-"

"No, William! That's not what I want. And don't get me wrong- I absolutely love Pemberley! Those napping pods? I was sold, ha. But in all seriousness, I would like to try this on my own. I don't want to be that girl who dates the boss. I don't want whatever success may come to me to be attributed to your company. I want to make a name for 'myself'. You understand, right?"

Darcy's face fell a little. He couldn't help it. His imagination ran wild with the possibility of them being a power-couple and having Pemberley be a family business that they would pass down to their kids, should they choose to become involved.

"Will?... Babe?"

He sighed and responded, "You know, I think I know some investors as well...", with a smile.

As Lizzie sat in her office, she acknowledged that this would be the last time she made a video here. She had grown very fond of Pemberley and although this would surely not be her last time visiting, (her baby-daddy owns the company; she's tied to it forever) it was still kind of sad.

"You guys see this room? This background that you've become so accustomed to? Well, say good bye to it 'cause I already have... My name is Lizzie Bennet, and this is the last day of my independent study."

*Cue theme music*

"Yup! That's right, folks! My school project is done and I've turned it in on time, despite earlier setbacks with family issues, which means I can graduate next month! But just because that project is over doesn't mean I won't continue to upload vlogs! I will still post videos whenever I want to share something with you guys. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries will live on! Thank you so much for the support; I don't know what I'd be doing after graduation if it weren't for you. Also, I have a new project in the works that I will be telling you all about soon, so stick around for that."

"And to address the comments on Monday's video: Wow. You guys are very, umm, descriptive in what you think happened between William and I. I just wanted to update you guys on that front really quickly. Yes, I've moved in with him and we get along pretty well. You know how sometimes living with someone can make you hate them? Nope. Not us. Well, not yet, anyway.", she joked.

"Alright, let me wrap this up because I need to edit and upload this myself before five; and I don't wanna keep my ride waiting.", she said with a smile. "Talk to you all soon!"

* * *

Caroline watched the video as soon as it was posted and still couldn't believe how far Lizzie had gotten with Darcy.

 _"The master of seduction. She must have him bewitched."_ , she thought to herself after watching. But Caroline knew, deep inside, this wasn't true. She knew Darcy had been intrigued by Lizzie since their Netherfield days and she knew Lizzie Bennet had a certain charm about her that made her easy to like. Caroline would have kept her as a friend had she not thought Jane was bad news, and if Darcy's interest in her hadn't been increasing.

She wasn't in love with Darcy. Yes, she found him attractive and would sleep with him at the drop of a hat if he ever gave the slightest hint that he was interested, but she always thought they would eventually end up together. Societal rules of thumb indicated that the rich marry their own kind and Darcy was much too picky to settle.

She had known Darcy since he took over the company almost seven years ago. She was 21 and he was 20, and since her father was an investor in the company, her family was always invited to events and had access to most parts of the company. Her parents moved to upstate California, and left Pemberley, but the Lee siblings stayed in touch with Darcy; especially since Bing and Darcy studied at the same school for a few years.

_"Eight days until the charity event. Surely I can talk some sense into him."_

* * *

The weekend was spent pleasantly with Lizzie and the Darcys. Lizzie and Gigi went to the mall Saturday morning and Gigi took note of all the things Lizzie stared at for more than three seconds. She had no idea what to get Lizzie for her birthday.

Later in the afternoon, Darcy, who had been 'working', joined his two favorite girls for lunch. He had actually been searching for a birthday present for Lizzie. He knew she probably wouldn't want anything expensive like designer shoes or a purse or something, so he decided to find something she would find useful. He went to one store and walked around with one of the personal shoppers until he found the perfect gift. It was now safely hidden at home.

On Monday, week 11 of Lizzie's pregnancy was celebrated by herself, Gigi, Darcy, and Fitz with dinner at some fancy restaurant. But at night, the pair cuddled up and read facts for week 11 together. The rest of the week was busy for the happy couple, however. Lizzie was polishing up her final draft for the pilot episode of her new project so she could send a copy to the investors, and Darcy was busy with preparations with the charity event.

Friday rolled around and Charlotte's plane was scheduled to arrive at 2pm. Lizzie was driven to the airport and awaited her with the driver.

Charlotte came into view and Lizzie made a run for her. She hadn't seen her bestie in-person in months!

"Char!"

"Lizzie!"

The two women hugged each other tightly and then Charlotte broke away and said, "Let me get a good look at you!"

Lizzie backed up and did a slow twirl for Charlotte, which was followed by squealing by the latter.

"Lizzie, pregnancy suits you. You look amazing! You have the pregnant-glow thing going on! I bet your mom is happy with the weight you've put on.", Charlotte said rubbing Lizzie's slightly pudgy belly.

The girls pulled up to the Darcy estate and Charlotte said, "Whoa!". She had been to Mrs. DeBourgh's house and was impressed, but Darcy's house was way more distinguished looking.

"I know, right? You get used to it, though.", Lizzie said as she led Charlotte inside and to the room that used to be hers.

That night, at dinner, Charlotte was formally introduced to Gigi and was reacquainted with Fitz.

"Hello, Ms. Lu. It's a pleasure to have you as a guest in our home.", Darcy said after arriving from work. Everyone was seated except Lizzie, who had begun to feel nauseous.

"Please, Darcy, call me Charlotte.", she said as they shook hands.

"Hey there, handsome.", Lizzie greeted Darcy with a smile, as she walked into the dining room.

He pulled Lizzie into a big hug and then with his hands on her belly, kissed her and her mouth tasted like mouthwash, so he asked, "Are you feeling ill?"

"I just felt nauseous. I'm fine now, don't worry."

And Charlotte felt her heart swell up with joy. She sooo knew Lizzie and Darcy had chemistry, but to see it in person made her want to yell, _"I told you so!_ ". You could literally feel the love radiating off of them.

After dinner, Darcy pulled Lizzie aside and gave her his credit card. She was about to protest, but he stopped her.

"I just want you to buy a nice outfit for yourself for tomorrow. That's all. It's for the charity event, which is formal attire, but also because it's your birthday and I want you to feel beautiful. Also, get Charlotte whatever she likes; it is her birthday, too. And do not worry about the cost. If you like something, do not even bother looking for the price tag. It would make me happy if you bought things for yourself."

"Okay. Thank you, Will. But don't expect me to spend like a thousand dollars, because I won't."

"You can spend however much you would like. That card has no limit."

Lizzie told Charlotte about the card and they made plans to go to the mall tomorrow morning. The charity event started at 6pm, so they'd have plenty of time.

* * *

_Saturday, April 27th, 2013. Lizzie (and Charlotte's) 24th birthdays._

Lizzie awoke to a lovely handwritten birthday card placed on the empty pillow next to her. It was from Darcy and it was beautiful. Lizzie held it close to her chest and after a few seconds she whispered to her belly, "I love your daddy so much!"

Lizzie and Charlotte were driven to the mall and were first looking at clothing stores that they would usually shop at. But then, Charlotte dragged Lizzie to some of the more expensive designer stores.

"Lizzie. Your boyfriend has millions. He _wants_ you to spend his money. Don't disappoint the man! He said I could have whatever I wanted, and I am not the type to turn down such an amazing offer. I'm buying this dress right here. It costs US$1200. And I need some shoes and accessories. So buck up, Lizzie!"

"Fineeee."

Lizzie ended up buying a beautiful black gown (because black is supposed to be slimming, right?) that she would've never even considered purchasing before. It was a flowy dress that was not too tight so it could hide her little bump, but still sexy-ish because it showed off some cleavage.

"That baby has given you awesome boobs, Lizzie. I'm jealous.", Charlotte said after approving of the dress.

Lizzie also purchased a pair of silver high heels (not too high, though. She didn't want to risk falling and hurting the baby), a silver clutch, and a set of diamond earrings with matching bracelet and pendant.

She took Darcy's advice and didn't bother looking at the prices. She knew that combined, she and Charlotte spent over US$6000, but she probably wouldn't use his card again anyway, so she appeased herself with that. Hopefully she spent enough to make him happy.

* * *

Everything was going as planned and it was almost 6pm. Darcy quickly showered and dressed in the room he had secured at the hotel where the event was taking place. Before six, he was inside the hall, awaiting the arrival of the guests for the ' _3rd Annual Pemberley Digital Charity Fundraising Extravaganza'._

One of the first to arrive was his Aunt Catherine so he put on a smile and greeted her. She was still kind of distant, but she had enough decorum to not ignore Darcy. What she wanted was an apology. He really didn't feel like she deserved one, but he decided to set aside his pride.

"You look lovely Aunt Catherine. I wanted to apologize for the way I behaved the last time we spoke...", he went on and on about how sorry he was and how he and Gigi missed her and when she was satisfied she gave him a hug and said she wouldn't interfere with his ideas again. "If you succeed, that's wonderful. If you fail, I will be the first to say 'I told you so'."

Caroline was always 'fashionably late', but this time she arrived a little earlier than usual so she could have a chat with Darcy.

She had just spotted him across the room when she noticed that he was staring at something. When she turned to where he was staring, she saw Lizzie Bennet looking gorgeous and every bit as elegant as any other woman of society.

 _"What is this? Cinderella?"_ , Caroline thought jealously.

Obviously, Darcy wouldn't pay attention to Caroline with Lizzie looking like that, so she would wait around until he was alone. Until then, she would loosen up a little with some drinks.

Lizzie and Charlotte walked in, looking around at all the people and feeling a little out of place. They made their way to where refreshments were being served and Lizzie ordered a glass of water and stared longingly at Charlotte's glass of bubbly champagne.

"Don't worry, Lizzie", said Charlotte after taking a long sip, "I'll drink for the both of us."

It was then that Lizzie felt a tap on her shoulder and when she turned around, she found a very excited looking Darcy.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She looked amazing and he was glad to see she had put his card to use.

"You look beautiful, my love. Happy Birthday.", he said with a big smile.

She hugged him really tight and tip-toed so she could plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, baby. For the lovely birthday card and all this.", she said gesturing to the dress and everything.

Darcy whispered something in Lizzie's ear which made Lizzie gasp then giggle and whisper something back, which caused Charlotte to clear her throat loudly and tell them to get a room.

Darcy was apologizing to Charlotte for ignoring her and wishing her a happy birthday as well, when Aunt Catherine strolled over.

"Ms. Lu?! Is that you?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes and turned around, "Hello, Mrs. DeBourgh! So good to see you again so soon!", and she stole Charlotte away.

Darcy stayed talking for a few more minutes but then saw a very important person he absolutely must speak to, so he was forced to leave Lizzie's side and get back to work.

Now was Caroline's turn to strike. She was going to confront Lizzie about Darcy.

"Well, well, well. Look who cleans up nicely! How many blowjobs did this outfit cost you?", Caroline said as she approached Lizzie. She was in her cups and she had always been a vulgar drunk.

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me, tramp! You seduced Darcy. I doubt you bought that dress with your own money!"

"I didn't seduce anyone. Look, Caroline. Just leave me alone. I don't have time for your negativity."

"Listen here Lizzie Bennet, you don't belong with Darcy. Kapiche? You're just a gold digger. I had it all wrong. How could I possibly think the lovely Jane Bennet was possible of the type of thing you're doing to Darcy?"

"Are you really that delusional, Caroline? Darcy was not 'seduced'. He's with me because he loves me and I'm with him because I love him, too. It's as simple as that. Do you really think Darcy is seduced? To believe that would be to believe that Darcy is foolish enough to fall for such a scheme. Darcy can make his own choices, he's a sensible man. So which is it? Is Darcy in love with me or do you think he's stupid enough to be fooled?"

Darcy overheard Caroline and was going to step in to defend his girlfriend, but he was very amused with how Lizzie handled her and chose to enter while Caroline was at a loss of words due to Lizzie's argument.

"Caroline Lee, I would advise you to stop spewing such hateful lies before we have you accused of slander.", he said as he made his way to Lizzie's side and put his arm around her waist possessively.

"But Darcy! She's obviously manipulating you! I don't know how you supposedly fell in love with her, but she's not worth it. She's going to take all your money and run. I saw that you visited those detestable people again. How did you survive the mother?!". Whenever Darcy used to mention something favoring Lizzie, she would always remind him of that mother of hers and that always seemed to work.

"Francine is a lovely woman, Caroline, and I will not allow you to speak ill of her in her absence."

"Ha! Don't try and act like a saint now, Darcy! You and I have said worse things that I'm sure you wouldn't want your darling Lizzie to hear."

A waiter dropped by with a tray of wine glasses. Darcy grabbed one and handed it to Caroline. He was being polite.

"None for you, sir, or the beautiful lady?", the young waiter asked, staring at Lizzie a little too much for Darcy's taste.

"No, thank you. She can't drink alcohol and I'm not going to enjoy it while she can't.", he said pulling Lizzie closer to him unconsciously.

"I'm not tying to act saintly.", he continued when the googly-eyed waiter was far enough. "I apologized to Lizzie long ago for the way I felt about her family. Now I've spent time with them and confirmed that they are wonderful people; who will one day be my in-laws."

Lizzie smiled at Darcy's kind words towards her parents. And suddenly, the institution of marriage didn't seem so unappealing. She accepted the fact that she and Darcy would probably get married one day and give the baby that was growing in her womb some little brothers and sisters. The only factor was when. They were going to be busy with a new baby and then Lizzie's new show and like always, Pemberley and its projects, so when would they squeeze in planning a wedding? _"Don't get ahead of yourself, Bennet. One day at a time!"_

 _"Darcy alluding to marriage with Lizzie? Has the world gone mad?!_ ", Caroline thought angrily. "Ugh. Whatever. Suit yourself! After she bleeds you dry and you regain your senses, you know my number.", she said throwing back her glass of wine in one gulp. "I need something stronger than that! Waiter!"

* * *

Caroline stalked away angrily and then watched as Gigi, who had apparently just arrived, went over to Lizzie and gave her a big squeeze. And then she quickly pulled away and said what looked like "Sorry, little one" while looking at what appeared to be the floor (actually it was Lizzie's stomach. Gigi was apologizing to the baby for hugging too hard). Caroline couldn't be sure; she was too far.

_"I wasn't ever able to get close to Georgiana... Why is it that she welcomed Lizzie with open arms even when Lizzie had badmouthed Darcy on the internet?"_

She was feeling sad and lonely, and all the alcohol made her want to pee, so she headed for the ladies' room. As she washed her hands, Caroline looked at herself in the mirror and started crying.

 _"Why doesn't he like me?! I'm hot and I'm rich!"_ , she thought, feeling defeated.

"How is it possible that Lizzie Bennet has conquered Darcy's heart so easily, when I've been trying for years?", she asked aloud.

Catherine DeBourgh stepped out of a stall and went to the sink next to Caroline. Caroline immediately began making herself presentable and was mortified at the fact that Darcy's aunt had witnessed her drunken self-loathing.

"Ms. Lee, is it?", Aunt Catherine asked while drying her hands.

"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you again, Mrs. DeBourgh."

"Why are you so upset, dear? And I was not eavesdropping, I promise, but I could have sworn I heard the Darcy family name."

"You are right, Mrs. DeBourgh-"

"Please, call me Catherine. Mrs. DeBourgh is my business name."

"Catherine, I did mention Darcy, as in William Darcy, your nephew. It seems that he is infatuated with Elizabeth Bennet; you remember her, right? She is Charlotte Lu's friend that visited Collins & Collins last year-"

"Yes, yes. I know of whom you speak. Lovely girl. Anny-kins, my accomplished little doggy, took a liking to her but she never returned for another visit. Shame. So much potential. All she needs is a little training-"

"Well, Lizzie Bennet is not of our social standing. She is middle class whereas Darcy is a wealthy businessman. Girls like her love to get their mitts on rich men. It's all the rage now."

"Hmm. Yes, I've seen many men and women be robbed blind of their fortunes by people _claiming_ to love them. But I didn't get that vibe from that young lady-"

"She's decked out in a thousand dollar dress and has diamonds on. Catherine, don't you see? She convinced him to make her his girlfriend and he moved her in with him; that can only bring trouble!"

"No; I don't believe it. He would've told me something like this."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she told him not to tell you anything. She's a smart one."

"My word!"

"I'm more appropriate for him. I have my own money and I know how to behave in social settings. I should be the one dating him!"

"Hmm. Yes. You would be a good match, I suppose. Let me go have a word with my nephew."

"Wait!"

"No, no! I will not let him throw away my dear sister's fortune. She died asking him to care for Georgiana, and moving women into their home is a bad example! I will not allow it!"

* * *

Aunt Catherine stormed out and found Darcy with Lizzie, Charlotte, Gigi, Brandon, and Fitz. They were all laughing at something Fitz said, when Catherine walked right up to Darcy and started scolding him in a hushed tone. She was a short woman who didn't even reach his chest, so she was looking up at Darcy and he was looking down at her confused as to why she was behaving like this.

 _"I apologized to her, did I not? What could she possibly find wrong with me now?",_ he thought annoyed.

"Slow down Aunt Catherine! What is the matter?"

"Her! I didn't even recognize her earlier when I came across Ms. Lu. _She's_ the new matriarch of my beloved sister's home? Why wasn't I told you had begun a relationship with her? I knew you to be reckless and impulsive with your little Domino project, but I will not have you desecrate my sister's home with a gold digger!"

She was getting loud and he didn't want to cause a scene, so he grabbed his Aunt roughly by the wrist, in his anger, and escorted her somewhere more private.

Everyone in the group was left shocked. Gigi moved to comfort Lizzie, who after a minute began to cry. Gigi and Charlotte led Lizzie to the ladies' room to avoid causing a scene.

On the way out, they passed Caroline, who felt kind of guilty about seeing Lizzie cry. She always saw Lizzie as this strong, opinionated woman and here she was, crying like a regular human being with feelings. Caroline was sobering up and she was starting to realize she was in the wrong. She should've never put Catherine against Lizzie and she shouldn't have insulted them the way she did earlier.

 _"I'm always screwing up, aren't I? First with Bing and Jane and now with Darcy and Lizzie._ ", she thought ashamed.

* * *

Lizzie could put up with Caroline's accusations because she knew Caroline was just speaking out of jealousy, but when Darcy's only other relative is outraged with their relationship, Lizzie couldn't handle it. She didn't want to be the cause of a rift in his family.

Maybe it was the hormones that made her so emotional, because before, she would've stood up for herself and for her and Darcy's relationship. Or maybe it was because it was a family thing.

"Don't cry Lizzie!", Charlotte pleaded as she patted Lizzie's back.

Gigi added, "Aunt Catherine and Will have been fighting since last year, Lizzie! It's not you! It's your birthday! Please, don't cry!". She was frantic and felt so bad that Lizzie was upset.

"Look, I have your birthday present with me!"

Gigi pulled a little box out of her clutch and handed it to Lizzie.

Sniffling and wiping tears away, Lizzie accepted the box and opened it up. When she saw what was inside, she laughed.

Charlotte and Gigi looked at each other with relief.

Lizzie held up a silver necklace with a little red bowtie in the center. It was a small, thin necklace. Very simple and the bowtie held lots of sentimental value for Lizzie.

"Thank you so much Gigi! It's great!", Lizzie said smiling.

"My brother is wearing a red bowtie tonight, so you guys are matching! I need a picture of you two!", Gigi said excited.

"Here, let me take off this necklace and put on your new one.", suggested Charlotte.

With her little red bowtie necklace, Lizzie felt at peace again. She and Darcy have been through so much to get to where they are today. This was just another hurdle they would have to get over.

Meanwhile, Darcy had taken his aunt to his hotel room. She was still shouting and complaining all on the way there.

He was furious. He was not about to let his aunt intervene in his love life, too. He took a few deep breaths before addressing her.

"Aunt Catherine, Lizzie is my girlfriend and I intend to make her my wife someday. I will not let you speak about her disrespectfully. She is a part of my family now and I won't stand for this!"

He was pacing around the room to release some of his pent up rage.

"But how can you be involved with her, William? Think about your future! What prospects has she to bring to the table? None. She might be a lovely girl, but she isn't right for you! I'm only trying to warn you. Things like this happen all the time."

"Aunt, she is perfect for me. I see the future every morning when I wake up because Lizzie is right next to me. Aunt, I am in love with her and it took a long time to get her to feel the same way about me. I'm going to stay with her whether you like it or not."

"What is she going to do for a job, then? Surely she isn't going to be mooching off of you forever."

Darcy reminded his Aunt of Lizzie's internet success and told her of Lizzie's plans.

"And even if she did want to stay home doing nothing, I would not mind. As long as she is happy, I am happy."

"This is preposterous thinking! She is not your future. You should get her out of your life while you still can."

Darcy scoffed at her and said, "Lizzie and I are bonded by more than just our love now, Aunt Catherine. It is impossible for me to erase her from my life, even if I wanted to. For she is carrying my son or daughter."

Aunt Catherine gasped and would have surely fallen and hit her head had she not been standing in front of the bed.

"She is WHAT?! Are you sure it's yours?"

"100% positive. Not a doubt in my mind."

"Surely this was her plan all along?! To trap you with child support!"

"No. She would never do something like that. Aunt, why are you so set against her now? You thought she was alright when you invited her for dinner that one time. She is not a gold digger and I am sure you hurt her feelings. So you have to choose: either you accept Lizzie as a part of the Darcy family or I won't see you anymore. And you won't be involved in the life of my child; my mother-your sister's- grandchild. "

Aunt Catherine never did like ultimatums, but this one was easy. She never had any kids of her own, what with her husband's death in an airplane crash. And she loved children. It was settled.

"Fine. I will go apologize to Ms. Bennet. I am sorry, William.", she said reluctantly.

"Apology accepted.", he said curtly and held the door for her.

The pair made their way back to the hall and Catherine made a formal apology to Lizzie in front of the whole gang. Whether it was sincere or not, Lizzie did not care. She learned not to hold grudges, what with the whole Lydia incident, so she accepted Catherine's apology.

"Please, call me Aunt Catherine if we're family now. And I heard about the bun in the oven. I wouldn't have suspected a thing. How far along are you?"

Lizzie smiled and said, "12 weeks on Monday.", and Aunt Catherine proceeded to put her hand on Lizzie's belly.

Caroline was still watching them from across the room, and although she couldn't hear what they said, rubbing a woman's belly is a universal sign for pregnancy. Since Caroline was sobering up, she put that together with the fact that she can't drink, Gigi's mention of a 'little one', and she had originally attributed it to a really good push-up bra, but Lizzie's boobs were bigger.

 _"Don't tell me she's pregnant?!"_ , Caroline's jealousy and rage was reignited and she went for a couple shots of whiskey.

* * *

The fundraiser ended, and although Darcy was too distracted by Lizzie to schmooze and encourage the guests to donate, they were able to top last year's grand total.

"Thank you all for this successful fundraiser. You've all helped make a really big difference tonight. Before we go, though, I'd like to felicitate my beautiful girlfriend, Elizabeth, on her birthday today. Happy Birthday, Lizzie." Most people were shocked because Darcy was never seen with a woman. A number of them probably thought he was gay until now.

People stared at her and congratulations were expressed, but she only had eyes for Darcy. This night had been an emotional whirlwind, but she had her baby and she had him, so she considered this her happiest birthday yet.

When the couple was reunited, Lizzie gave Darcy a huge kiss to express her happiness at that present moment.

"I am really sorry about Caroline and my aunt and-", he admitted.

"Sshhh! Let's forget about it! I just wanna go home."

Home. Darcy remembered the days where he had dreamed that Lizzie would call his home hers as well, and he still hadn't gotten over the fact that his wish had come true.

"Wait, before you leave, I have to get a picture of you two! You guys look awesome! And you're matching! Super cute!", said Gigi pointing to Lizzie's necklace, causing Darcy to laugh.

Gigi snapped a picture and immediately posted it on twitter for the fans.

The rest of the crew went out to a night club to celebrate Charlotte's birthday, while Lizzie and Darcy went home.

They helped each other strip from their formal attire, Lizzie took off everything but her little bowtie necklace and asked Darcy to the same so that they could stay matching.

Lizzie got some amazing birthday sex, which was desperately need after the day's events. While cuddling afterwards, Lizzie said, "This day couldn't possibly get any better.", and sighed contentedly.

"Actually, I have one more present..."

"Will! You didn't have to do that."

"But I wanted to. And don't worry, this gift is for the both of us, really. Now close your eyes."

He went in the closet, fumbled around for a minute, and came back with Lizzie's present.

"Now this is going to be cold. Don't worry, and keep you eyes closed, okay?"

"Mmhmm...", Lizzie said with a hint of suspicion. _"What is this man up to?"_

Within a few seconds, Lizzie did feel something cold on her belly. It felt like a gel. Then she felt something running across the gel.

 _"Is he giving me some kind of massage?"_ , she thought and then she heard a really rapid heart beat getting louder and louder.

"Can I open my eyes?"

"Yes, you may open them. Happy Birthday, Lizzie. From baby and me."

Lizzie gasped and then started crying happy tears. Darcy had bought Lizzie a little machine that detects the baby's heart beat. They spent the next half hour just listening.

"Thank you so much, William. Seriously. This has been the best birthday ever.", she sniffled. Her face was all pink and under her eyes were puffy from tears, but she couldn't have been more beautiful to him, lying there naked with her little bowtie necklace and ultrasound gel on her pudgy belly.


	17. The Scare

The Monday after Lizzie's birthday, Lizzie and Darcy attended her 12-week check-up and everything was running smoothly. They were told everything was fine and that Lizzie was finally out of the woods in regards to risk of miscarriage.

Lizzie sighed in the passenger seat of Darcy's car as they drove from the clinic, prompting Darcy to ask if anything was wrong.

"No, Will, just the opposite! Everything's going perfectly. And I'm so relieved the baby is okay!... Every time I go to the doctor, I fear that they're gonna give me some bad news."

Darcy gave her _the look_. The look he's been giving her lately every time she says something pessimistic or negative. It said _'Shut up Lizzie. Everything's going to be fine. Don't worry.'_

So she threw her hands up in defeat. "I know, I know. Everything is fine. Don't worry. Blah Blah…"

Her moods had started going all over the place again. Now instead of crying over everything, she'd get irritated over nothing.

* * *

Weeks flew by for the couple and it was almost time for Lizzie to head home for graduation, but not without some problems.

The plan was to go home a week before graduation to get ready and spend quality time with her family; but no way was Darcy was going to let her fly alone after their little scare.

Just a couple weeks after their 12-week check up, when Lizzie was about 14 weeks pregnant, Lizzie experienced a dull aching in her lower abdomen. She had finally found a co-producer for her show that was to her satisfaction and was on the phone setting up details for their first in-person meeting, when she felt the ache. It felt almost like the beginnings of menstrual cramps. It wasn't exactly painful but it was a bit uncomfortable.

As soon as she hung up with her new co-worker, she ran straight to the bathroom to check if she was bleeding. _"No spotting. Thank God."_ , she thought to herself. At their last visit, the doctor had told her that she should call her immediately if she started bleeding.

She went about the rest of the afternoon as she normally would, except she would make sure to check for blood every time she used the bathroom. _"It was probably nothing."_ , she concluded by the time Darcy got home for lunch. _"No need to alarm him for no reason."_

They decided to go out for lunch- somewhere really quaint and romantic that they had been to only a couple of times. Aside from the fact that they were going to be parents, they were also still dating and getting to know each other, so they took every chance they had to go on little dates. While Darcy was giving the waiter their order, Lizzie stilled at the sudden ache she felt. Again, it wasn't exactly painful, but it was more intense than before.

"Excuse me, Will. I'm gonna go to the restroom.", she said to Darcy, who hadn't noticed her little 'episode'.

Again, no blood, so she didn't say anything.

"My love, would you care for a walk in the park?", Darcy asked as they were finishing up their lunch. "I haven't got any pressing matters at the office, and frankly, I'd rather spend time looking at your fine eyes than my computer screen."

Lizzie accepted his compliment with a smile and agreed to a walk. After finishing up their meals and paying, they were off.

Hand in hand, they strolled through a nearby park, enjoying each other's company and discussing Lizzie's preparations for graduation.

"I want to buy the plane ticket soon. I genuinely miss my family... even my mom! I would really like to go this weekend. I know my graduation isn't until next weekend but that extra time with my family before the big day would be nice. And I know you're busy all next week and can't make it until Thursday…"

"Yes... I'll make sure to buy your ticket as soon as I get to the office.", Darcy answered, trying to mask his disappointment. He knew it was foolish to feel sad to be apart from her for a week, especially when it was to see her family, but he couldn't help it. They'd been living together for about a month now, and Darcy had gotten extremely accustomed to seeing Lizzie everyday.

His voice went from relaxed to business-tone, so Lizzie could tell he was affected by her decision. "I know we've just moved in together, and it's not that I need a break or anything like that, and it's not that I won't miss you-", she said before Darcy interrupted her.

"It's fine, Lizzie. I understand. I really do. It would be wrong of me to try to keep you all to myself. I'll just miss you, that's all.", he said with a small smile. _"Miss. That's an understatement."_

Lizzie tugged at the hand she held, causing him to stop walking and look at her.

"Hey, Will... I love you. You know that, right?", she said with conviction. They've had too many misunderstandings and she wanted to make it crystal clear to him that she meant it.

"I do. And I love you, too.", he replied with equal conviction.

Lizzie smiled and tip-toed to give him a quick kiss, which turned out to be not so quick. Public display of affection was more Bing and Jane's area, but sometimes they got a little carried away. They were brought back to reality by a conservative-looking old lady that was sitting at a bench nearby, who was clearing her throat loudly and unnecessarily.

When they broke away from each other, the old lady went, "Hmmmph!". And when they got far away enough, Lizzie burst into giggles and Darcy laughed heartily beside her.

"This would be great for the vlog! The viewers would love to hear about how we made out in front of an old lady! Ha!"

* * *

As they made their way back to the car, Lizzie felt the ache again and this time, it really hurt. It was sharp and caused her to double over in pain.

"Lizzie?! What's wrong?"

"I've been getting these aches and pains on and off all day, but this one really hurts. And it still hurts. All the other times it went away quickly.", she replied worriedly, still doubled over.

Darcy picked Lizzie up in his arms, and carried her to the car. He quickly called and arranged for an emergency appointment at the clinic before even leaving the parking lot.

Lizzie's eyes were closed and her hands were low on her belly, rubbing where it hurt.

Darcy could only stroke her hair and rub her belly at red lights, so he felt really helpless. He wanted to make her pain go away. Lizzie on the other hand, felt relieved in a way. Sure, she was scared something was going terribly wrong with the baby, but it felt good to have someone to share that fear with. She was glad she had someone to cede control to when her life got a little crazy. It felt good to know that from now on, she was no longer just Lizzie. She was half of Lizzie and Will.

When they were getting close to the hospital, Lizzie's pain began to fade.

"I feel better, babe. Maybe it was just me being sensitive or something.", Lizzie claimed. She knew the smart thing would be to get checked out anyway but she was afraid to go in and have them tell her that their baby was no longer alive.

Darcy disliked the fact that Lizzie was in pain, but he was not particularly alarmed. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he just wasn't afraid that anything had happened to their child.

"Maybe this is my fault, Will. I do have thoughts from time to time about how my life would be right if I wasn't pregnant. Maybe I brought this on myself."

He gave her _the look_ and added, "Don't be ridiculous, Elizabeth."

"But what if?! I've been so blessed with _you_ and this _baby_ and _everything_ and I haven't really appreciated any of it as much as I should've.", she responded, with a thin line of tears trickling down her face.

And then, it dawned on Darcy why he was not worried. It's the word _blessed_ that Lizzie used. Of course he feels blessed. After all the ups and downs he had experienced in the past, all the loss, all the evils of his jealous 'friends', all the struggles to stand his ground in business, all the heartache of unrequited love – it all bore fruit and he knows with all certainty that they earned their happiness and this sort of tragedy just can't happen to them.

Darcy's heart exploded with happiness but he kept his focus on Lizzie. He didn't speak about his epiphany; he just simply replied with earnest in his eyes. "You know, I am absolutely certain, deep in my heart, that everything is going to be alright. We'll have the most beautiful baby, you'll see.", he declared. Maybe it was naïve to think like this, but he did. He had no fear at all.

Lizzie looked at Darcy's placid expression and calm demeanor and wondered how the hell he wasn't freaking out right now. And then she started to wonder why _she_ was freaking out. _"I'm not bleeding. When we went to the check-up a few weeks ago, the doctor said everything was fine. And she said miscarriage was much less likely. And I haven't done any rigorous physical activity that could harm the baby… maybe this is… normal? I mean, I've never been pregnant before so of course things are gonna happen that I've never experienced… This is what we get for skipping the past couple of weeks of baby facts!"_

Lizzie laughed to herself and then said, "Thanks, Will."

Darcy had no idea what he was being thanked for or what she was laughing at, but he was glad to see a smile on her face.

* * *

**I hope you guys enjoyed this.**

**Shout out to FF user SOLYAHU!**

**Thank you to everyone who's still reading! Reviews are always welcome. ;)**


	18. I Feel Safe With You

When they got to the clinic, they were schooled on what was going on in Lizzie's uterus.

"You see, Elizabeth, in order to accommodate the growing baby, your uterus has to expand. A baby can't grow in there without some space. As your uterus continues to grow, there's going to be some discomfort due to stretched ligaments. It's stretching out quite a bit in only 9 months. Think of it as a growth spurt of the uterus. Nothing to worry about.", the doctor reassured them, but went ahead and used the ultrasound machine so that the couple could see that their child was fine.

"Your next appointment was supposed to be your 16-week appointment, so will I still have you scheduled for the last Monday in May? Or-"

"Actually, I graduate from grad school the weekend prior to our next appointment and I'm not going to be in town then..."

"Oh! Congratulations! Well then, whenever you return, feel free to call the office to schedule your check-up. I think we may be able to determine the gender next time."

"We'll finally be able to call the baby _him_ or _her_!", Lizzie said with excitement, which Darcy acknowledged with a quick squeeze of her hand.

They walked hand in hand to the car, with new ultrasound pictures of the baby. The next time they visited the doctor, they would know whether they were having a son or a daughter. They could not wait.

"I told you everything would be fine.", Darcy said as they drove away.

"You just couldn't resist saying 'I told you so', could you?"

Darcy just shrugged in response with a smug smile on his face. The ride home was a quiet one, because both had a lot on their minds. But after dinner, Darcy was finally able to translate what he was feeling into words.

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy were sitting on a big blanket spread out on the grass outside, looking at the darkening sky. They were a good distance away from the house and were shielded by a row of tall hedges. It was almost completely dark, save for the dim outdoor lighting, but in the distance you could still see an orange hue in the sky. It was a very pretty thing to look at. _"But not as pretty as Elizabeth…"_

Darcy cleared his throat, as he often did when he was nervous, and then lay down with his hands beneath his head and stared up at the sky.

"I don't want you to go home just yet."

"Huh?"

"It's just that with what happened today, I know I would feel restless if you were to go through something like that again and I wasn't there to at least comfort you. I've never been covetous and I don't want you think of me as being possessive, but I don't want you to travel without me… ever. I should be with you every time, just in case." He was afraid Lizzie would think that he thought her incapable of fending for herself.

"Will, I'm perfectly capable of traveling alone with this baby-"

"I know it's just-"

"But, I wouldn't mind if you tagged along wherever I went."

"So you're not going to leave this weekend? Because you know I can't leave Pemberley until next Thursday afternoon. And then your graduation is that Saturday. So you'd only have a day with your family before-"

"I know. That's okay. I'll just stay a week afterwards. No biggie. I'll find something work-related to do. I'll wait for you."

"Well if you need something to do, you're always welcome at Pemberley. I'd like for people to become accustomed to you being a presence there. You can actually bounce some tips and ideas off of the –"

"Will… I told you I want to make a name for myself-"

"Just hear me out. You can just consult with the wardrobe department, production facility, and creative writers at Pemberley. I am aware that you managed to charm everyone in those departments while you were shadowing, so it would just be you, an old colleague, asking them for advice. _'No biggie'_."

Lizzie laughed at his use of a colloquialism and then nodded. "Fine. I'll go poke around at Pemberley until we leave."

"Well, that was easier than I expected."

"Yes it was. For very simple reasons. Number one: I know I'd miss you terribly, even though you'd join me shortly. And two: I feel safe with you. I know that I can count on you not to freak out when something happens. Like today. You handled the situation and you made me feel better without even trying. So yes, William, I would gladly delay my trip so that we may travel together.", she said smiling down at him.

Lizzie had used many adjectives to describe how she felt about their relationship since they'd started dating, but this was a first. He made her feel _safe._ A surge of masculine pride spread throughout his body. He had always been over-protective of those he cared about, but he'd never been told he made someone feel safe.

He sat up so he could be face-to-face with Lizzie. He kissed her gently at first and then the kiss grew more intense as he laid her down on the blanket they were sitting on. He was hovering over her, going down to kiss the spot where his baby boy or girl was growing and then kissing his way up to her neck, enjoying Lizzie's giggles along the way.

"So I make you feel safe?", he asked, his voice already husky with desire, as he kissed Lizzie's hypersensitive spot right behind her ear.

She moaned softly at his touch and realized this was just what she needed. After the tidal wave of feelings she'd ridden today, she needed a release that was more cathartic than just crying.

She pulled Darcy down so she could whisper something in response to his question. Whatever it was she said was potent enough to make Darcy forget they were outside and they proceeded to make love under the night sky.

The pair was absolutely giddy and filled with adrenaline for having done something so spontaneous.

"First, we make-out in front of old ladies and then we have sex in the _backyard_ , when there are still people working around the estate! Babe, what has gotten into us?!", Lizzie exclaimed with amusement on their way back indoors.

"Next thing you know we'll…", and Darcy chose to whisper the rest of his sentence because they had entered the house.

Lizzie gasped and giggled and then hit Darcy playfully on the arm.

Gigi appeared in the hall, when they were on the way to their bedroom.

"Where the hell were you guys?! I've been searching for you two for almost an hour!", Gigi asked.

"We were… looking at stars in the backyard…", Lizzie answered.

"Well, Aunt Catherine called and said she was going to drop by Pemberley tomorrow…", Gigi said warily.

Darcy was puzzled as to why his aunt would be visiting. "Did she give a reason for her visit?"

"Nope. She just said, _'Georgiana, sweetie, I can't seem to get in touch with your brother. Will you let him and Elizabeth know that I'm going to Pemberley tomorrow?'_ "

"Hmmm. This will be… interesting.", Lizzie thought aloud and both Darcy siblings silently agreed. They remembered all too well how Catherine DeBourgh had treated Lizzie at the charity event a few weeks ago. She apologized, though, so all was forgiven- but not forgotten, hence the slight anxiousness they all felt about tomorrow.

* * *

Lizzie, Darcy, and Gigi all rode to Pemberley together. Darcy drove with Lizzie in the passenger seat and Gigi in the back. They were brainstorming ideas as to why Catherine De Bourgh would make a spur of the moment trip to Pemberley.

"And she didn't give a specific time of arrival?", Darcy asked as he parked in the CEO space.

"Nope. She just said 'tomorrow'. For all we know, she could be here right now."

Lizzie and Darcy shared a look of mutual panic for a second.

 _"Oops. Probably shouldn't have said that…",_ Gigi scolded herself.

They entered the building with their guard up, but were soon relieved to discover there was nobody waiting for them.

Everyone went their separate ways, and they didn't reconvene until it was lunch time.

When Lizzie came up from the wardrobe department on the third floor, Gigi was already in Darcy's office. Lizzie waved to Darcy's secretary, who had determined long ago that Lizzie and Darcy were an item.

When then door opened, both Darcys looked, but instead of their Aunt, there stood Lizzie. She made her way to Darcy, who was still sitting at his desk, and gave him a quick kiss before making herself comfortable on his lap.

"Still nothing?", Lizzie asked.

"Nope. I say we head out to lunch. I'm starving.", Gigi suggested.

"No, let's stay in the building, in case she shows up.", Lizzie countered.

"How about we-", Darcy began, but was interrupted by the opening door.

There were only select people allowed to just waltz into Darcy's office without the secretary needing to phone Darcy first: William Darcy, Georgiana Darcy, Fitz Williams, Elizabeth Bennet, and Catherine DeBourgh.

"Ah, just the three I was looking for.", she said after closing the door.

* * *

Everyone stayed quiet and stared at her. Lizzie felt particularly awkward because she was sitting on her nephew's lap.

"Well, aren't you all going to greet me? I swear this generation has no manners."

They all mumbled variations of "Good afternoon, Aunt Catherine."

"That's more like it."

"So what brings you to Pemberley so unexpectedly, Aunt?", Darcy asked.

"I know this is a bit out the ordinary, but I have a request to make and I hoped that if I showed up in person and asked, I wouldn't be rejected."

"And what might that be?"

"I would like to request an audience with Elizabeth. I've made reservations for lunch at the hotel I'm staying at, and I'd like for you to join me.", she declared with a hint of uncertainty. Was she scared Lizzie would say no?

"Huh? Me?", Lizzie asked dumbfounded. _"Why would she want to have lunch with me?"_

"I am still filled regret and shame at my behavior towards you when we last met. And I'd like to spend some time with you so you can see I'm not really an old witch. I can be quite lovely, you know.", Catherine replied with a little chuckle at the end.

"Umm… sure?", Lizzie accepted as she disentangled herself from her stunned boyfriend.

"I'll take good care of her and the little package, don't worry, William. If you don't feel comfortable with me just yet, Elizabeth, we can bring Georgiana along."

"Of course, Aunt Catherine.", Gigi answered obediently, and made her way to her aunt's side.

Before leaving the room, Lizzie turned back to Darcy and mouthed _"Wish me luck!"_ before closing the door behind her.

A few seconds later, the door opened again and in walked Fitz with a very confused facial expression.

"What was _that_ all about?", he asked, referring to the sight of Aunt Catherine walking towards the elevator with Gigi and Lizzie on either side of her.

Darcy filled Fitz in on the ultimatum he had given Catherine the night of the charity event.

"I told her if she did not accept Lizzie, she couldn't be involved in my child's life. And since my baby would have been my mother's first grandchild and everything… well, you know. She immediately came around. I believe this is her trying to make amends…"

"Whoa. Hopefully all goes well… and I'm sorry, bro, but I'm starving. Are we gonna eat lunch or what? Lizzie and GGD will fill us in later."

* * *

**Yup! Aunt Catherine and Lizzie have a lunch date. What proposition will she have for our pregnant protagonist? Find out next chapter.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	19. A Whole Lemon?

**Seeing as CDB is the Darcys only relative, I wanted some Lizzie-CDB bonding.**

* * *

Lizzie sat quietly in the car as Catherine DeBourgh talked to Gigi about something school-related but thankfully the ride was not too long. They arrived at the fancy hotel and made their way to its restaurant, where Catherine had reservations.

"Liz, dear, you haven't said a word. I know you probably aren't too eager to like me after what occurred, but I truly am sorry. Come now, tell me about this new project you're working on."

"Did Will tell you about it?"

"Oh heavens, no. I haven't been in contact with any of you since the charity event. But, I asked Collins about you and he led me to your YouTube channel and-"

"You watched _all_ of the videos?", Lizzie asked nervously. She remembered the times she made fun of Catherine and Anny-kins.

"Yes. And I must say your 'costume theater' is quite entertaining!", she laughed. "You make a better William than my nephew!"

Lizzie just smiled _. "Who hasn't seen my videos?!"_

Gigi was texting Fitz and her brother what was going down with Lizzie and Catherine.

_So far so good. Aunt C has seen her vlog. She seems amused._

_-Gigi_

"I saw the most recent video where you told your audience you had something in the works and I'm interested. As you well know from your friend Ms. Lu and your time at Collins&Collins, I am a venture capitalist. I have exceptional expertise in building a business from nothing and I know more of the risks associated with starting a new company. Maybe I can be of some assistance."

"It's okay, Ms. DeBourgh-"

"Please, call me Catherine or Aunt Catherine. We're family now, are we not?"

"Okay, _Catherine_. But I already spoke to Will about it and I told him I didn't want his name anywhere near my project. I want to be recognized for my work and not because the Darcy name helped me out."

"Oh don't be so paranoid, Liz! I'm not trying to label your new project as a DeBourgh start-up. I just want to give you my honest opinion."

Lizzie sighed. "Okay, so what I'm thinking is to take costume theater to the next level…"

Five minutes into their conversation and Gigi couldn't stand it. She was bored out of her mind. And she had to pee.

She excused herself but neither Lizzie or Aunt Catherine seemed to notice.

 _"Wow, I feel like a third wheel on a date_.", Gigi thought to herself as she made her way to the bathroom.

* * *

While she was gone, the waiter came by to take their orders.

Catherine ordered for herself and since Gigi wasn't there, she ordered for her as well.

"Georgiana has a fine taste in food. It runs in the family, you know.", Catherine boasted. But what Lizzie had interpreted as being haughty back when she dined at Rosings, was now interpreted as pride.

Catherine DeBourgh was a snob, no question about that, but she wasn't condescending in a malevolent way. She just wanted the best for everyone around her and was proud of her family.

The things Catherine had said about Lizzie still stung, but she could see herself getting over that quickly. Catherine only vocalized what a lot of other 'people of society' would be whispering about her and Darcy's relationship anyway, so hearing from someone who actually mattered would make it easy later on, if people gossiped.

"Liz? Elizabeth, are you going to order?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry. I'll uh, just have a chicken caesar salad. I'm not really in the mood for much right now."

"Nonsense! Bring her the salad and a serving of this-", Catherine said to the waiter, pointing at some pasta dish on the menu.

"My future little niece or nephew is growing and I will make sure that it's well fed- at least when you're with me.", she smiled. "Now where were we? Ah yes. You were telling me about how you've already found your co-producer…"

And they continued their conversation about Lizzie's idea, which was received with very little criticism, much to Lizzie's surprise.

"…with a few adjustments here and there, it should work out splendidly. My, my what a gold mine of creativity I missed out on when you refused to work with Collins.", Catherine commented.

"Thank you, Catherine. I really appreciate the advice.", Lizzie said before sipping the last of her water.

"Do you need a refill, Liz, dear? Excuse me, I need some more water here!"

"Yes ma'am? What can I get for you?", asked a waitress. She appeared younger than Lizzie but older than Gigi.

"We would like some mineral water, please."

"And a lemon!", Lizzie added. She was craving something a little sour all of a sudden.

The waitress lifted one eyebrow in annoyance.

"You want mineral water… and a whole lemon?", she asked Lizzie with a slight tinge of attitude. She was sick of all these weird requests rich people had, even if a lemon was nothing compared to bringing out a basin with warm water and towels for a table of six to wash their hands. _"I am a waitress, not a servant."_

"Yes, please."

"Would you like it sliced or in halves or…?", she continued sarcastically.

"In halves would be fine, thank you. And I strongly suggest you be swift with our request and stop being so snarky. When a pregnant woman asks for something, it should be done- no questions asked! Now run along.", Catherine snapped at the waitress.

"I swear, the quality of service is nothing like it used to be! Nowadays they hire anybody. If I didn't believe that that young woman would be out on the street without the meager pay this job offers her, I would file a complaint immediately. That much sass is not needed in the customer service industry... And to act rude with a member of _my_ family! Hmmph! The nerve!", Catherine rambled mostly to herself. She reminded Lizzie of her mother in that regard. Her mother always had to have something to say, and if no one wanted to lend her their ear, she'd say it aloud anyway.

Lizzie was kind of shocked. All that just because the girl got rude with _her_? And Catherine really considers her a member of the family? Lizzie felt a sense of relief. Relief at the fact that she was now positive she and Catherine could put their past behind them.

The waitress returned with the mineral water and two lemons, each sliced in half.

"My apologies if I came across as anything but respectful. And might I add that if the baby ends up looking like its mother or grandmother, it's going to be one cute baby! May you have good health and happiness with your pregnancy, ma'am, and if you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask.", the waitress said with a smile, trying to redeem herself.

As soon as she walked away, Lizzie and Catherine looked at each other dumbfounded.

"Does she think you're my…?", Lizzie asked.

"I believe so…", Catherine nodded.

And then they burst out laughing. Had Catherine seen herself engaging in such unlady-like guffawing, she would've reprimanded herself. But it was Gigi who stumbled upon the sight, and like always, she whipped out her handy-dandy camera phone and snapped a pic of Lizzie and Catherine laughing, with Catherine's hand affectionately on Lizzie's forearm.

"Hmm-hmm!", Gigi cleared her throat as she approached the table. "What's so funny?"

They explained the situation to Gigi and Catherine added, "As if I look old enough to be a _grandmother_! Ha!"

Gigi was glad they were distracted enough not to ask where she had gone. She had been stuck on a particularly hard level of one of the apps on her phone. She sat on the couch in the ladies' room until she beat it.

Their food arrived and the rest of their lunch was pleasant. Gigi loved what her aunt had ordered for her and Lizzie was able to finish off both the salad and the pasta dish.

"You see? I know what I'm doing.", Catherine gloated about her excellent ordering skills.

When their meal came to an end, Catherine asked Lizzie to stick around a little while longer, if she didn't have any plans.

"Sure, I'll stay. Is that okay with you, G?"

"Definitely! I'll just go back to Pemberley. I'll see you later, Lizzie! Bye, Aunt Catherine.", Gigi said with a hug to both women, and exited the hotel. Catherine's driver was waiting out front already.

* * *

Lizzie and Catherine went up to Catherine's suite and there they wanted to shy away from business and talk about other things, like the baby, but not before Catherine made Lizzie an offer.

"Liz, have a seat. The couches here are quite comfortable."

"Thanks.", Lizzie said as she sat down next to Catherine in the suite's living room.

"I wanted us to discuss something other than business, but before we leave that topic behind I have a proposal."

"Okay…"

"How would you like to rent out one of my studios for your show? It's not exactly a studio per se. It is an old building that I had fixed up. It has an industrial look to it. It's spacious. You have plenty of space for shooting and editing and offices for your employees… And I haven't had much use for it since I haven't sponsored a project in San Francisco in many, many years. What do you say? First six months are free!"

"Wow, Catherine. That's really nice of you but-"

"This is strictly business, Liz. I offer this same deal to start-ups that I believe have potential. That's what I did for Collins. And it doesn't hurt that the building is in the middle of San Francisco. Great location… close to Pemberley... You've already said no to me once, Elizabeth. I want to be a part of this. Since you don't want my family's influence to help you, the least you could do is let me provide you with a decent base of operation for a good price."

Lizzie thought it over very quickly and it was an offer she couldn't refuse. It just meant she was that much closer to realizing her dream.

"I accept.", Lizzie said with a smile.

"Perfect! I'll have someone send you the paperwork!... I can't believe I once thought you weren't prepared for life! All this initiative! But now on to more important matters. Tell me of the baby! Am I to have a niece or nephew?"

"We don't know yet, but we find out next visit…"

Catherine went on and on asking about Lizzie's life and family and everything she wasn't interested in before. But Lizzie turned the tables on her.

"So what about you, Aunt Catherine?", Lizzie asked, genuinely curious about this grand woman's past.

Catherine smiled at the new title she'd earned. Lizzie now called her Aunt. "I'd rather save that conversation for another time, dear."

"Alright then… so what about the little hairless snaggletooth?", Lizzie asked, jokingly referring to Annie-kins.

Catherine tensed and then teared up a little.

"What's wrong?", Lizzie asked, reaching over to put a hand on Catherine's shoulder.

After a big sigh, Catherine replied, "Annie-kins is no longer with us. She passed a few weeks ago. It was the asthma that finally got to her. If she were alive, I would've brought her along with me. She's always at my side, you know. Or at least, she _was_."

A lone tear fell from her right eye and she wiped it only after it had reached her jaw.

"I'm so sorry! I had no idea…"

"No one knows, save for those who work in my house. She's buried at Rosings."

According to Darcy, Gigi, and Fitz, that dog had been like a child to Catherine. And from what Lizzie witnessed during her visit to Rosings, she would say that the loss of that dog must have been heart-breaking. Maybe this caused her change of heart? Could the loss of the only family she interacted with on a daily basis be what inspired this need to get closer to Lizzie and in turn, Darcy and Gigi?

"Enough with the sad talk. It probably isn't good for the baby! Let's get you back to my nephew."

When they got downstairs, the driver was waiting in the front.

"Alright then, Liz. You don't mind if I call you that? I've gotten so used to it."

"It's okay, Aunt Catherine.", she smiled.

They hugged and then Catherine rubbed Lizzie's belly and said, "Take good care of that little surprise! Oh and don't forget to tell William to send me a download for the app he's working on… the Domino one. I'll give it a try."

"Of course."

"And again, Liz, I can't apologize enough. You really are a wonderful young lady. I can see why my nephew fell for you.", Catherine said seriously. She really meant what she was saying.

"No need to apologize! All that is water under the bridge… And thank you for an amazing afternoon."

Catherine nodded and waved as the car drove away.

Gigi had filled Fitz and Darcy in on what transpired during lunch and had to show them proof of Lizzie and their aunt laughing when they didn't believe her; but they were all eagerly awaiting details for what went down after Gigi left.

When Lizzie showed up at Pemberley, she filled them in on everything. They congratulated her on securing a location to shoot her show and thanked her for making them aware of the unfortunate circumstances concerning their aunt's beloved dog.

That night, Darcy hugged Lizzie to his chest with a little extra effort.

"What was that for?", Lizzie asked, confused.

"I was worried you and my aunt would not get along today, but everything went fine. And it makes me glad to know that my family is united.", he said before planting an appreciative kiss on her lips.

While Darcy fell asleep not longer after kissing his girlfriend goodnight, Lizzie didn't find sleep so easily. All this talk of family made her miss her own. But her graduation drew nearer and nearer, so she knew that she would be back home in no time.

* * *

**Lizzie's graduation! Finally! Lol. And after that we find out the baby's gender! :O**


	20. Graduation Day: A New Chapter

**Time-frame is the end of May. Lizzie arrives in her town on Thursday the 23** **rd** **, graduation is Saturday the 25** **th** **. Weekend before her 16th week of pregnancy.  
**

* * *

Thursday finally arrived after a slow week of keeping busy. Lizzie was extremely homesick but also nervous about graduation, so there were a lot of mixed feelings when she and Darcy landed in her home town. She felt queasy, but when her doting boyfriend asked if she was alright, she blamed the baby because she didn't want Darcy to know she was feeling uncertain.

"I'm sorry, little one, but you know I don't mean it! It's just that mommy feels like she can't talk to daddy about this, 'kay?", she whispered to her bump while Darcy got up to get luggage out of the overhead compartment of the plane.

Sure, she had nothing to worry about anymore. Lizzie Bennet had her health, a college education, a wealthy boyfriend, a baby on the way, and was going to start her career online in a few months. But even all this didn't pacify her completely. She needed to have a nice long chat with Jane.

"Oh Lizzie, look at you! You're glowin'! Come give your mama a hug!", exclaimed Mrs. Bennet after answering the door.

"You're blocking the doorway, Franny.", stated Mr. Bennet as he squeezed his way through the front door to help Darcy with their bags.

"Oh, hush, Thomas! Come on in to the kitchen, Lizzie, dear. Lydia was helping me bake some cookies just for you! We gotta fatten you up! You're not nearly as big as I was when I was 4 months pregnant with each of you girls. But then again, y'all took after your father. He was so thin when he was younger…", she rambled on as she dragged Lizzie to the kitchen.

 _"Ahh. Home, sweet home!",_ Lizzie thought to herself with a smile as she allowed herself to be led by her mother.

Lizzie was able to get away by saying she and Darcy needed to get settled in. "Oh and by the way, mom, where is everybody sleeping? When Janie gets in tomorrow with Bing, I'm pretty sure all four of us won't be sleeping in my room."

"Don't be silly, Lizzie! Why would Jane sleep here when Bing's got that big house not too far from here?!"

 _"Oh yeah…"_ , Lizzie thought sadly. She was hoping to have a long nighttime talk with Jane like they used to have. But that won't happen if Jane's sleeping at Netherfield.

"Yeah, Lizzie! How are Jane and Bing supposed to 'bing' _here_? Eww, gross.", Lydia whispered to her.

Lizzie gasped and then giggled. _"Ah, good old Lydia."_

On the way to her bedroom, Lizzie passed by the den and saw Mr. Bennet and Darcy on the couch. They were making small talk, but it didn't sound forced. Darcy was trying his best to be social and Mr. Bennet was trying his best to make Darcy feel at home. She couldn't help but smile.

Lizzie entered her room and saw their bags at the foot of the bed. She unzipped hers and made her way to the closet with some clothes in hand. When she opened up her closet, there, in the center, hung her graduation cap and gown.

She dropped the pieces she had in her hands and picked up the hanger with the robe. She ran to her mirror and pressed the gown to her body and looked at herself.

"I should try it on, right?", she asked herself as she slipped it off the hanger and onto herself. The bump was invisible beneath the royal blue gown, and although it was a little long on her, she knew that with heels, the gown would fit perfectly. All that was missing was the cap.

She put it on and stared. A few months ago she was clueless as to what her future held, and now she had so much to look forward to. She pressed her hand to her belly as a tear trickled down her face and onto the gown. She wiped her face and sighed.

"I should probably take this off before I ruin it…"

She put away her and Darcy's things in her room and went downstairs to hang out with her family, which was what she had been craving for weeks now.

* * *

The next morning was Friday, the day before graduation, and the day that Jane and Bing arrived from New York.

Lizzie had gone to sleep early last night, tired from feelings and the flight and the baby, so Darcy spent a few hours alone with the Bennets. They were really easy to get comfortable with and there was never a quiet moment with Francine around, so he enjoyed a pleasant evening with these new members of his family.

He went to bed fatigued from working, then traveling, and having to be more social than usual. He hopped into Lizzie's queen-sized bed and although it was not as big as their king-sized bed back home, he was more than comfortable squeezed into bed with her. He fell into a deep sleep and didn't stir when Lizzie awoke the next morning, startled.

When she went to bed last night, it was the first time in forever that she'd slept in her old bed. She'd gone to sleep alone, too, so it felt just like old times. When she woke up, she panicked a little when she felt Darcy's presence beside her. For a second, she thought her life for the past few months had all been a dream, but she was mistaken. Happily mistaken, though.

She stared at Darcy for a little while and watched his chest rise and fall with each deep breath. It was one of those rare moments where she rose first and she cherished his gentle expression. The urge to pee tore her away from the lovely sight, and she went about getting ready for the day. It turned out she was the first to rise in the entire house, beating even her parents, so she decided to make breakfast for everyone.

Later in the day, Darcy and Mr. Bennet headed out to pick up Jane and Bing from the airport. When they all arrived, Jane ran straight towards Lizzie and patted her bump.

"Lizzie, it's so good to see you! This is the first time I've seen you in person since you announced your pregnancy! You look lovely!", she raved and hugged her.

Lizzie hugged her sister tight. It had been months since she'd been able to hug her and she missed her sister's placid energy.

Jane then went on to hug Lydia tightly and then gave her mom a short kiss on the cheek before she began interrogating Jane about her relationship with Bing. Lizzie just smiled. Everything was as it always had been.

The family went out for dinner and a movie, and on their return from the theater, Lizzie invited Jane to her bedroom. Jane had noticed that Lizzie was a bit unusual today, so she immediately asked what was wrong.

"Oh, Janie! I don't know what's wrong with me! I keep telling myself it's just nervousness about tomorrow, but it's more than that…"

"What do you feel? Look past the nerves and try to see what's causing your uneasiness."

Lizzie and Jane were on the floor of Lizzie's room, with Lizzie's head in Jane's lap. Jane was fiddling with Lizzie's hair as Lizzie looked for the reason behind her feelings.

"Fear.", she said after a few quiet minutes.

"Hmmm?"

"I'm scared, Jane."

"Of what, Lizzie? Is it the baby?"

"No, Jane. Well, yes. But no, it's not the baby. I'm just scared. I need a break… With everything that happened with Lydia, and then falling in love with Will, and then getting pregnant… It's all too much. And now I'm graduating and I'm gonna start my new web show in a few months…"

"Mmhmm. You're life has changed drastically in such a short time. But all for the better, right?"

"Yeah but you gotta understand, Janie, I was totally lost a few months ago. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life or how I was gonna pay off my loans... But I have a future now, and it's terrifying. I've spent the majority of my life in school and now I'm done."

"I see… Well, baby sis, you've earned it. You worked hard in school to get your degree, you worked hard on your video project and it got noticed, and you had many not-so-good relationships to pave the way for the one you're in now. And that baby is just a little extra blessing on top! It may feel overwhelming but just take it one day at a time. Some people get relationships, jobs, degrees, and babies spread out over their lives but you were blessed enough to get them all close together. This chapter of your life closes with your graduation and a new one will begin. A very interesting one, I believe."

Lizzie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Jane continued playing with her hair while humming a song their mother used to sing to them when they were scared.

"Thanks, Janie."

"No problem, baby sis. You didn't tell Darcy about how you were feeling?"

"Nope. It's just that he wouldn't get it. I love him to death but sometimes, I need you or Char or Lydia to just talk to. I could've shared this with him and he would've been just as supportive as you, but I needed someone from my old life to hear me out. You get me, right? Our old lives. Before Bing and William and _Wickham_."

"I understand perfectly. And if you ever feel strongly about anything, you know you can call me anytime."

"I know.", Lizzie said, smiling. "Now, tell me about New York! How's your job? And how is it now that you and Bing have finally moved in together?!"

"Wait, wait.", Jane said as she texted Lydia to come join them.

The Bennet sisters spoke like they hadn't in months. Lizzie even asked Darcy to spend the night at Netherfield so Jane could sleep with her. The guys were sad to be parted from their women, but they understood. They could also take this opportunity to catch up with each other. After they left, Lydia brought in a sleeping bag and the three spent the night before Lizzie's graduation together.

* * *

Saturday morning, Lizzie woke up with a smile and a heart that was no longer heavy with fear, but instead with an eagerness for the next chapter of her life.

Lydia, Jane, and Mrs. Bennet helped Lizzie get ready for her big day. Jane styled her hair, Lydia did her make-up, and Mrs. Bennet busied herself tidying Lizzie's room and commenting on how proud she was of all of her girls.

"Lydia, you must follow in your sister's footsteps! They've managed to secure rich men and have their educations to fall back on, just in case. Very smart idea, indeed!"

The girls just rolled their eyes. Jane and Lizzie shared a look that expressed the unlikelihood of either one ever leaving their partner.

Lizzie put on her dress and shoes last. It was the first time she'd ever worn anything tight outside of Darcy's house. The white dress showed off the baby bump which looked a bit too odd shaped to be a full stomach. It was not a huge bump yet- she could still hide it with the right clothes, as she had been doing- but it was unmistakably indicative of a baby on the way and she was now ready to reveal her pregnancy to the world.

Lydia volunteered to hold Lizzie's gown for her until later so that it wouldn't get wrinkled in the car, but the cap was placed on her head by her mother before they headed downstairs.

* * *

"Good morning, babe.", Lizzie greeted Darcy with a hug. Although she didn't sleep alone, she did sense his absense, even in her sleep.

"Good morning.", he said before rubbing Lizzie's belly. He was glad to see Lizzie had finally decided to reveal their baby. "You look beautiful, Lizzie."

"Thank you.", she replied before fixing his tie and tip-toeing to give him a quick kiss.

The family headed to the graduation, all the Bennets in Mr. Bennet's car and Bing and Darcy in Bing's rental.

"We're gonna stop somewhere really quick. We'll meet you guys there!", Bing said before taking off.

"He's probably going to get you a really cool present, Lizzie!", Lydia guessed.

They arrived and Lizzie saw a lot of classmates that she hadn't seen in so long. She waved to a lot of them and was hit with nostalgia. " _Breathe, Lizzie. You are moving forward_.", she said to herself.

Lizzie had to go be seated and Bing and Darcy weren't back yet.

"They'll be back before the ceremony starts, don't worry, dear.", stated Mrs. Bennet.

"Yeah, you're right. Well, the next time I stand before you all, I will be Elizabeth Bennet with a Masters in Mass Communications.", Lizzie said with a smile, and headed inside with the rest of the graduates.

When Lizzie's name was called, there was a lot of noise. Apparently, a lot of her peers were fans of her YouTube videos.

Outside, Lizzie was greeted with hugs and kisses from her family. Her parents and sisters were extremely proud.

"Where's Will?", Lizzie asked, but before anybody could answer, Charlotte appeared from the crowd.

"Congratulations, bestie!", Charlotte ran toward Lizzie with a big balloon in hand.

"What are you doing here?!", Lizzie asked in shock as she embraced her. She had no idea Charlotte was going to make it to her graduation.

"I got here yesterday. Your dad and Darcy picked me up from the airport with Jane and Bing. They picked me up from my house on the way here.", Charlotte answered with a sly smile.

"Lizzie, get over here! We need to take pictures!", her mother called.

She took pictures with her bestie, her parents, her sisters, and then all together, but then asked again, "Does anybody know where Will is?!"

Darcy tapped her on the shoulder and when she turned around, she saw he had two dozen white roses.

"Darcy, honey, pose for a picture!", yelled Mrs. Bennet.

Darcy gave Lizzie her roses and they posed.

"Take the gown off, Lizzie! You should totes show off my niece or nephew!", Lydia suggested.

Lizzie laughed but removed the gown and kept the cap on. They took some more pictures and when Mrs. Bennet was finally satisfied, she let them be. But Charlotte was on high alert for some candid photos.

"Congratulations, my love.", Darcy said before bending down to kiss her. He had been dying to do that since he laid eyes on her that morning.

"Thanks for the flowers; they're beautiful."

"Those aren't from me. Those are on behalf of Gigi and Fitz. They wished they could be present."

"I know if Gigi wasn't out of town she would've been here. How's she doing in Sanditon?"

"She's well. She apologizes profusely and so does Fitz. I ran and got these after you had walked across the stage because they asked."

"Aww, how sweet.", she said smiling.

"And _this_ is from me.", Darcy said before pulling a black box out of his pocket.

Lizzie's heart skipped a beat. _"Could it be?!"_

* * *

**Next chapter will host a big announcement... just giving y'all a heads up. :P**


	21. Of course it's not a ring, Lizzie!

Lizzie's heart began racing and many possibilities as to what could be in that box flashed through her mind.

 _"Is it… a ring?",_ she thought nervously as Darcy opened the little black box for her.

She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding when she saw that it was just a bracelet.

It was a thick silver bracelet with three little charms attached: a little diploma, a little graduation cap, and a little 2013 charm.

"Do you like it? I picked the charms out myself. All graduation themed.", Darcy said, hoping she wouldn't object to the gift because it looked expensive.

"It's perfect! I'll remember this day whenever I look at it. Thank you, Will.", she said with a relieved smile and a quick peck on the lips. She held out her wrist for him to put the bracelet on for her. She would've done it herself, but her hands were busy holding Gigi and Fitz's flowers.

"I am glad. Now, let's go join everyone else. We have reservations for a celebratory lunch in your honor."

The whole gang went out to eat and when the waiter asked Lizzie if she would like some wine, she shook her head no and said with a smile, "I can't. I'm pregnant."

They all used the time in between courses to post the graduation pictures on all the social media. Twitter and Instagram were blowing up with congratulations. Even Darcy joined in on all the commotion and posted the picture of him and Lizzie with the caption: _'Congratulations to my beautiful girlfriend TheLizzieBennet on her graduation.'_

He received a tweet from Aunt Catherine who, believe it or not, has a Twitter, and it complimented the pair. _'A very good-looking couple. Congratulations to Liz.'_

After lunch, they all headed back to the Bennet house where Lizzie decided she was going to make a YouTube video.

"I think it's about time we spill the beans. I'm already starting to show and I'm done with school, so we might as well.", Lizzie said.

"I can shoot for you, just like old times!", Charlotte suggested excitedly.

"Wow, I can't even remember the last time you were behind the camera… Alright, let's do that!", Lizzie said eagerly.

They headed upstairs to set up the camera and tried to think up a cool way to announce her pregnancy.

"I mean, this is major news, Char! I can't just blurt it out, can I?"

"I have an idea… let's get Darcy to do it…", Charlotte suggested.

* * *

Lizzie cleared her throat and began, "Hmmhmm! So it's been a while, guys! How is everyone doing? I just wanted to update you all on some things that have happened recently! So yeah… my name is Lizzie Bennet and I just graduated from grad school!...", and with a mischievous smile she added, "Among other things…"

*Cue theme music*

"That's right everyone! I have a Master's degree in Mass Comm and I will put it to use soon, so stay on the look-out. But seriously, today was great and it has been one of the happiest days of my life so far. All the studying and the late nights and the essays… Thank God it's all over!"

The video cut to a series of pictures that Mrs. Bennet had taken earlier that day: Lizzie with her cap and gown and diploma, Lizzie and her sisters, Lizzie and Charlotte, and lastly Lizzie and Darcy both smiling with all the flowers.

Charlotte cleared her throat.

"Oh and Charlotte is here! She came over for my graduation." Charlotte popped her in the frame and waved.

"So did Bing and Jane. They're fine and irritatingly perfect, like they always were. I know you guys were wondering about them.", Lizzie mentioned with a fake annoyed expression.

"And _Darcy_ is here.", Charlotte added for the viewers.

"Yes, Will is here too.", Lizzie replied as she rolled her eyes at her annoying best friend.

"Yes, I am." Darcy appeared on camera from the neck down.

Lizzie looked back and smiled.

"Come on over, Will. I was just about to tell them about _you-know-who_."

"Oh?", he said as he walked over and sat down next to Lizzie on the bench.

He grabbed her hand and said, "Very well.", with a big smile.

"Well, my lovely viewers, when I walked across the stage today, I didn't do it alone… I was accompanied by someone very special."

"And no, it wasn't me!", Lydia yelled as her head popped into Lizzie's door frame for a second and then popped back out.

They all laughed and then Lizzie sighed. She looked at Darcy and he was sort of jittery.

"Allow me to clarify, Lizzie.", he said as he pulled Lizzie to her feet so that the lower part of her abdomen was visible on camera. Darcy grabbed her hips and rotated her body towards him so that the audience could have a side view of Lizzie's bump, which was easily noticeable with her tight dress. He was still sitting, so he was still in the frame. He placed a kiss on Lizzie's belly, causing her to laugh.

"My name is William Darcy… and Lizzie and I are expecting a baby.", he said with a mixture of excitement and amazement.

"Yup!", Lizzie squealed off camera. The video ended with her placing her hands on each side of Darcy's face and bending down to kiss him.

Lydia was asked to record a new little jingle for the end of this video. It went:

*Ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba ba-ba babies, YEAH!*

"Oh that was cinematic perfection, you guys! 'The Notebook' has nothing on you two. Tomorrow morning all hell will break loose on the interwebs when I post this video.", Charlotte said when she stopped recording.

But they weren't putting on a show. Lizzie and Darcy were genuinely happy to break the news. Their pregnancy was no longer a secret. It was something to be flaunted.

After shooting the video, Lizzie went downstairs to tell her mother she had permission to tell people about the baby. Francine Bennet almost burst with joy. "Finally! It's bad for my poor nerves to keep secrets, dear. Y'all know that!"

* * *

After dinner, it was still kind of early, and since Jane, Bing, and Charlotte were all leaving the next day, they all wanted to do something together.

"What should we do, guys?", Lizzie asked as they all sat around the Bennet living room.

"Carter's?!", Lydia suggested enthusiastically.

"Lizzie can't drink, Lydia. And people smoke in there. That's not good for the baby.", Charlotte said.

"How about the park?", Bing said.

"That's totes boring, Bing. And it's dark.", Lydia commented.

"How about you kids go bowling?", yelled out Mr. Bennet from the kitchen. He was doing the dishes because his wife was glued to the phone.

"Wow, I haven't been bowling in ages!", Lizzie exclaimed, and that was the general consensus.

"Alright, bowling it is then!", said Jane.

They went in two cars: Bing and Jane in Bing's rental and Lizzie, Darcy, Lydia, and Charlotte in Mr. Bennet's car.

Since they commenced their relationship, Darcy had never seen Lizzie drive. He knew she had a driver's license, but he'd never been in a car with her behind the wheel. It was always him or a driver. But it made sense for her to drive tonight because it was her hometown and her father's car. He didn't know why, but he found it so strange to see her driving.

The bowling place wasn't completely packed when they entered, so they were able to get seats and everything pretty easily. Lizzie watched as Darcy put on the used bowling shoes that they gave out without a single complaint. She was surprised but didn't say anything, lest she ruin his willingness to participate. However, she had no idea he was internally cringing.

They started their games and when Darcy knocked down all the pins on his first try, Lizzie almost spit out her water.

" _You've_ been bowling before?", she asked skeptically.

"Yes.", Darcy answered plainly. He didn't get why she asked.

"Woww. It's just that… I don't know, I assumed you'd never been. I didn't know rich people bowled.", Lizzie said jokingly.

Bing added, "He was the captain of the unofficial bowling team in college. His team had some of the best Ivy League bowlers around."

"You were on a _bowling team_?", Lizzie asked trying to contain her laughter.

"It was a fun way to let off steam.", Darcy defended himself.

"That's totes lame, Darce! You're lucky that you're hot.", Lydia mentioned causing everyone to laugh.

Darcy just rolled his eyes and rolled another strike. "Let's see if any of you can beat that."

Lizzie was terrible at bowling, so Darcy had to help her out almost the entire time. Neither of them minded, though, as it gave them an excuse to be in close contact.

Darcy ended up winning, of course, but that didn't stop everyone from teasing him anyway.

* * *

Only Lizzie, Lydia, and Darcy returned to the Bennet house after their bowling excursion. Bing and Jane took Charlotte home and then headed to Netherfield. They promised to come over for brunch the next day, before their 6 hour flight back to New York.

"I need a shower.", Darcy said frankly as they entered Lizzie's room. He was a good sport at the bowling alley, but he was dying to wash off all the germs he was sure had followed him home.

"Me, too. Today has been a long day.", Lizzie agreed.

"Should we conserve water and shower together?", Darcy asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

"Ha ha, Will.", Lizzie said as she turned around so he could unzip her dress. " I doubt we'll get any showering done. Besides, my house is not as big as yours, and I guarantee that any noise we make will be heard by my parents."

"You mean your _parents'_ house is not as big as _our_ house.", he corrected her as she unknotted his tie for him. "But I _would_ find it very difficult to sit down to a meal with your father if he were to hear us.", Darcy chuckled.

"Well, I live in your house so I call it home, but it doesn't really _feel_ like my house. You know what? We'll save that conversation for another time.", she told him as she removed her jewelry.

"Lizzie, we've lived together for approximately a month. If you didn't find the house to your liking, it could have been easily remedied. We'll change whatever you like. And don't give me that 'technically it's your house' crap, because even though we are not yet married, what is mine is yours. I thought you understood that."

The mention of marriage caused Lizzie to look down at her new bracelet for a second before taking it off. She saw that little black box earlier today and thought it was going to be a ring. And she was relieved that it wasn't. What did that mean?

Lizzie was finally rid of all her clothing and wrapped her towel around her body before saying, "I'm going to shower downstairs. You use the bathroom up here. That way we can get to bed faster." She grabbed what she was going to wear before exiting her room.

 _"Time for a little introspection…"_ , she decided as she walked toward the bathroom. She needed to figure out some things.

Darcy thought she was acting a little weird but chalked it up to her being tired or the beginning of a mood swing.

* * *

While in the shower, Lizzie tried her best not to wet her hair. It was still styled really nicely (she missed when Jane used to do her hair) and she wanted to keep it for at least a couple more days. But that was a little hard to do when she kept zoning out and thinking about the day's events.

This was truly one of the happiest days of Lizzie's life. She graduated school, she decided to go public with her pregnancy, she made her family proud, and she got to spend time with the people who meant the most to her. But being back at home made her realize how different her life would be and she was going to miss it. " _But like Janie said: end of a chapter; new beginning; one day at a time; blah blah blah.",_ Lizzie thought as she exhaled deeply.

It was nice to drive in her dad's car instead of being driven around by a driver. It was nice to be all squished up in the living room instead of having massive amounts of space. And not to mention the issue of money. Well, money wasn't the issue; Lizzie's problem with Darcy's money was the issue. He had been paying for practically everything since they got together and although it was very convenient, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable or like she was using him.

"But then again, there's nothing I can do about this _right now._ As soon as I get my web show up and running and I start getting paid, I _will_ pay him back and I'll be able to foot the bill, too." She sighed. So many people would kill to have a rich partner. She kinda wished he was average, like her, so they'd be more equal.

And then there was the marriage dilemma. She was relieved that it was not a ring. What did that mean?

"Well, it definitely has nothing to do with wavering feelings. I am absolutely certain that I am head-over-heels in love with William Darcy.", she said aloud. And she smiled because she knew he felt the same way.

And then it hit her. _"Lizzie Bennet, for someone who graduated from grad school, you sure are an idiot.",_ she thought as she hit her forehead with a "D'oh" like Homer Simpson. Lizzie and Darcy's relationship is brand spankin' new! _"Of course he wouldn't propose now! We've been dating for like, what, two months? And we haven't even properly spoken about marriage. Just the fact that it's gonna happen eventually."_

She did the math in her head. _"Okay so, I was 10 weeks when we found out I was pregnant and we had made our relationship official after coming back from kicking Wickham's ass… and that was two weeks before we found out… so yep. Two months._ Only two months. _Of course he wouldn't propose. Pfft."_ It felt like so much longer, though.

As for the relief she felt, she could attribute that to the shortness of their relationship and how absolutely crazy it would be for them to get married so quickly. Also, if she added the fact that her life would be doing a 180 soon, getting married now would surely drive her insane.

She left the bathroom feeling clean and refreshed in both body and spirit. Aside from the fact that soon she and Darcy would have to talk about money, she felt much better than when she left her bedroom earlier.

* * *

**Give like me until, like, the chapter after next. We will have the interwebs reaction to the Darcy-Bennet love child. And I will fast-foward to when we figure out the baby's gender. I already have a gender and name picked out. I can't wait for you guys to read the baby's actual name instead of seeing it referred to as 'the baby' all the time.**

**Things will speed up eventually. Just give me some time lol. I _know_ I'm terrible. But I still have a lot of things I want to happen before the kid comes out. And once the baby's out, the story will be pretty much over and that kind of makes me sad. Because it's been fun. ** **  
**

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed. And thank you all for sticking around with this extremely dragged out tale. XOXOXO**


	22. Something New

**So Darcy gets a blowjob in this chapter and he kinda returns the favor. Why? Because why not?! Lol. No but seriously, I was in a mood when I wrote this bit, so that's why. I just wanted some fluff and some sexy times. You've been warned!**

* * *

When she entered her room, the lights were off, the bedside lamp was on, and Darcy was on his smart phone reading some emails.

"I thought you'd be asleep already. I took forever.", Lizzie said as she made her way to the bed.

"Oh, no. I didn't get to fall asleep with you last night, so there was no way I would miss the opportunity twice in a row.", he said before putting down his phone to help Lizzie pull back the comforter.

She got in and curled up into him. She nuzzled his chest, tickling him with her nose. He chuckled and she felt it vibrate all throughout her body, filling her with a joy that only he could give her.

She looked up at him and said with a little laugh, "You know, when you took that black box out of your pocket... I thought it was going to be a ring."

He looked down at her with his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Seriously?"

"Seriously.", she answered, laughing again at how silly the idea was.

"Lizzie, you have done us both a great injustice. To think that I would propose to you on a day where you are celebrating a major achievement... and that I would do so with only a box? It's ludicrous. Surely you know you are worth more effort than that?… And in front of all those strangers… no. I wouldn't do it like that."

Lizzie looked pleased. "So you wouldn't make a huge deal in, like, a restaurant or something similar? Thanks for the heads up. I wouldn't want a lot of commotion anyway."

"I didn't say it wouldn't be a big deal, I just meant that I would want it to be something intimate. Besides, this is the first time we have properly spoken about getting engaged. You don't think I'm some insensitive fool, do you?"

"Not at all. I don't know why I jumped to that conclusion… So are you already thinking about marriage?"

Darcy sighed and kissed her forehead distractedly before saying, "To be honest… not really."

Lizzie was surprised. He was always the one mentioning marriage.

He continued, "I know I want to be your husband and I _think_ there's a high probability that you'd like to be my wife…"

Lizzie rolled her eyes in response.

"… But the timing is not right. And the timing will not be right for a while. I've taken into consideration the brevity of our relationship, _your_ responsibilities with your new project, _my_ responsibilities with Pemberley, and most importantly, _our child_. It will be born in the midst of all these things and adding marriage to the mix would certainly make life that much more complicated."

Lizzie looked positively delighted, and squealed out a barely discernible, "My thoughts exactly!"

"Well, I am glad we agree.", he said as he gently stroked Lizzie's belly. "You know, I can't help but wonder about what my parents would think."

"Oh?" Lizzie was all ears. He didn't talk about them much, so when he did, she figured it must be important.

"Well, my mother would have loved you; that I know for a fact.", and he smiled at the thought. "And she would understand our situation. My father, on the other hand, would have been disappointed that we were planning on having the baby out of wedlock, but he would have been excited for a grandchild. And he would've liked you, too. Especially since you are so adverse to me showering you with gifts and the like. He would have valued your independent spirit."

There he was again, dismissing her issue with money. She was going to have to address this, but not right now. They were both in a wonderful mood and she was not going to ruin it.

"That's good to know.", she said with a smile.

After a few quiet minutes of cuddling, Lizzie whispered into his chest, "I love you, Will... so much." She really did. So much that she felt her heart would burst at times.

"I love you, too, baby. More than you could possibly fathom.", and he tilted her face up away from his chest so he could look into her eyes. He wished there was a way he could let her peek inside his brain, so she could see he was not exaggerating.

"Awwww!", she whispered.

She blinked several times and her cheeks filled with a rosy color, making her look bashful all of a sudden. He slowly leaned down and kissed her. It was a simple kiss; just his lips on hers. No insistence; no demanding that she part her lips for his tongue.

So he was surprised when he felt one of her hands skim across his stomach and down into his boxers. He let out a small gasp and closed his eyes when she began stroking him. She rolled Darcy over so that he would be fully on his back. He opened his eyes and shot Lizzie a _"What are you doing?"_ look. She couldn't possibly start doing that and think that it wouldn't lead to sex.

She simply smiled back at him, leaving him wondering what the hell she was up to, but glad she was doing it.

She stopped, but only to position herself accordingly. When Darcy opened his eyes and lifted his head from the pillow, he found Lizzie's face dangerously close to his groin.

 _"Is she really going to-",_ he thought, but he was cut off by the sensation of Lizzie's mouth around his now fully erect member.

Lizzie had never given a blowjob before and she and Darcy hadn't done much other than regular sex ( _amazing, mind blowing_ regular sex, but regular nonetheless) in the last two months. They were still learning each other's bodies and were not yet bored enough to venture off into the unknown.

But after he looked into her eyes so deeply that she felt she could see right into his very soul, she wanted to bang him right then and there. She wasn't lying, however, about the possibility of noise being heard throughout the house. Even if they kept their mouths shut, the creaking of the mattress and the headboard banging against the wall would give them away. So she decided to try something new.

* * *

She tested the waters for a couple of minutes by using her hands and since he responded as she'd hoped, she moved on to using her mouth. She had no idea if she was doing it correctly but Darcy wasn't complaining, so she just kept going. She was surprised that she was actually enjoying it; knowing she could please her man was a big turn on.

Darcy couldn't form a complete thought. He was laying there with one arm underneath his head and one arm gripping the edge of the bed in order to keep from grabbing Lizzie's head. Back in the Netherfield days, Darcy had had many a daydream where Lizzie was doing this very act, and even after they started living together he would imagine it. But since they had sex often, he wasn't ever desperate enough to ask. He didn't want Lizzie to think he was a creep.

She was getting tired, so she quickened her rhythm to test if that would help speed things along for Darcy. Very shortly after, she heard him stammer, "Lizzie… I'm very close… I'm going to-". She guessed he was trying to warn her.

 _"I started this so I'm gonna finish it."_ , she thought as she put forth a last bit of extra effort into her task.

Darcy grunted and then ejaculated into Lizzie's mouth. Now she knew what Darcy tasted like.

She ended her task with a quick kiss on the tip of Darcy's penis, pulled his boxers back up, and then crawled up to her pillow where she sighed, feeling spent.

"So how did I do?", she asked smugly.

Darcy looked over at her and laughed. "Did that really just happen?", he asked, still in shock.

"Yes! So how did I do?", she asked again, curious to know if she sucked (oh yes, pun intended).

"You performed splendidly. I am at a loss for words. You know you didn't have to... swallow. I tried to warn you."

"I know. I _wanted_ to. How can I make it better next time?"

"Next time?… I like the sound of that. Well, maybe you could use your tongue more and...", he hesitated before continuing. He was blushing like mad.

Lizzie laughed and said, "Will, we're adults! It's okay! We're going to be stuck with each other for the rest of our lives, so we might as well get comfortable with talking about these things."

"Have you ever done this before? You know what, never mind. I do not want to know."

"Nope. First time ever."

Darcy couldn't help but be glad Lizzie wasn't ever that intimate with anybody else.

"What about you? This can't have been your first blowjob."

"No this isn't the first time I have received oral sex. I experienced a lot of new things at university."

"I see... The _bowling team_ had a lot of groupies, huh?", Lizzie teased.

Darcy shot her a fake glare in response. "That was so unexpected... Why did you do it?"

"Because I know how much you love me. And I wanted to show you how much I love you. Also, because we can't have regular sex here. The noise, remember?", she said very matter-of-factly, like it was common sense.

"Awwww", he said playfully, mimicking Lizzie from earlier, and rolled over to pinch her cheeks. The unexpected little present had left him feeling extremely playful. He straddled her and leaned down to kiss her passionately. He was going to try to return the favor. He didn't feel confident enough to give Lizzie the same thing she gave him (the robot in him wanted to be perfect and was planning on researching it. Oral sex was one of the kinds listed in the pregnancy sex book he ordered, so as soon as they got back home, he was going to read it) but he _did_ know how to use his hands.

* * *

Darcy held himself up with one hand and used the other to lift up Lizzie's shirt and start fondling her breast.

"Mmmmm", Lizzie hummed as Darcy moved his mouth from hers to her other unattended breast. She ran her fingers through his hair as he went to work.

After a little while, Darcy's hand abandoned her breast and felt its way down to Lizzie's shorts. He stopped briefly where he imagined their little one was growing inside her and tickled the spot. Then, he slowly crept under the fabric of Lizzie's panties. Lizzie was more than happy to spread her legs slightly so Darcy's hand could easily make its way down to her most sensitive area. He explored and focused on expertly massaging her clitoris, which he knew Lizzie was a fan of. His efforts were rewarded when he felt his fingers had grown moist.

Darcy's mouth left her almost-sore nipple and kissed her hard on the mouth as he slipped two fingers into her slowly and then began thrusting them in and out. He could hear her moans, muffled by his mouth, and pulled away for just a second to look at her face. Eyes closed and mouth agape in pure ecstasy. He still hadn't gotten over the fact that this was his life now.

He decided to give her swollen lips a break and nipped away at the skin around her neck and collar bone, moving up slowly to her special spot behind her ear.

She was trying her best to keep quiet and still, but she couldn't help but squirm. She pulled Darcy's hair unconsciously as she neared her peak. Darcy interpreted this as a sign to hurry up and soon had Lizzie moaning into his ear as she climaxed. He felt her convulse around his fingers and slipped them out slowly.

"So how did _I_ do?", he asked jokingly, still hovering above her.

"Apparently bowling isn't the only thing you're good at.", Lizzie replied with a sly smile on her still swollen lips.

"Ha ha. Very funny, Lizzie.", he replied as he got off of her and laid next to her.

She just stuck her tongue tongue out at him. Her body felt like jello and she didn't have the will to do much else.

"I love you.", said Darcy before placing one last kiss upon her lips and pulling the covers up over them.

"I love you, too.", stated Lizzie as she lazily turned off the lamp and got settled into Darcy's arms for the night.

* * *

**Baby gender and name reveal next chapter! Whoop Whoop!  
**

**And just to clarify, Lizzie and Darcy will definitely get married before this fic ends. They just aren't stressing it _right now_.**

**I'm assuming nobody is reviewing because nothing review-worthy has happened in a while. Hopefully something will impress you guys soon lol. And hello to all new readers/followers! And hello again to all my old ones! Thank you all for reading!**


	23. Yes, Your Baby Is A...

The next morning, shortly after Charlotte Lu awoke, she went to her computer and uploaded a new video for Lizzie titled: _I graduated!... And other things!_

A few minutes after it was posted, the internet went berserk. No, that is an understatement. Lizzie's entire viewership died, resurrected, and then died again. People were elated and completely caught off-guard.

But Caroline already had her suspicions from the day of the charity event; the day she insulted Lizzie and made a fool of herself.

She sighed in defeat. There was no hope for her now. Lizzie and Darcy looked entirely smitten with one another and she saw how Lizzie had changed Darcy for the better.

She sat at her computer for a little while before finally giving in. She tweeted:

_Congrats on the baby! williamdarcy and TheLizzieBennet !_

She was a little bitter but figured it would fade with time.

"I need some coffee and retail therapy.", she decided as she got ready to go out. She was going to go buy a designer dress and find a gorgeous male model to bunk with for the night.

* * *

That fine Sunday morning, Darcy and Lizzie stayed in bed for a long time. At first they just laid there, but then Charlotte texted Lizzie that the video had been uploaded. They got on their phones and saw all the congratulations and were busy reading tweets and comments together. Darcy and Lizzie were surprised to see messages from Pemberley employees and even some business partners. Everyone wanted to know how far along she was and the baby's gender and basically, all the details. They'd address that in a video in the near future.

Lizzie saw Caroline's tweet and showed Darcy. He was still upset about the way Caroline had treated Lizzie, but Lizzie thought this was a good sign.

"She's congratulating us, Will. Maybe she's ready to stop hating me."

"The things she said to you were awful. I don't have it in my heart to forgive her just yet."

"Fine. I will reply for the both of us. I am _so_ over holding grudges."

Lizzie tweeted her back: _that_caroline Thank you! williamdarcy and I appreciate it._

She put her phone down and got up from the bed. "I'm gonna go get ready. Jane and Bing should be here soon for brunch. I'm starving. I'm gonna get ready downstairs. You get ready up here."

"Mmhmm.", Darcy nodded in acknowledgement. He was reading work emails again.

When Lizzie returned, she found her bed made and Darcy was still reading emails.

"Thanks for making the bed... Are you gonna be glued to your phone the whole week that we're here?", Lizzie asked annoyed.

"It's work-related, my love. It's _super important_."

"I see what you did there, William. Very funny. But seriously, leave your phone up here. Let's go downstairs and remind the rest of my family that we're still here."

"Elizabeth, I can't just leave my phone. There are certain things I am responsible for as CEO and since I am not in San Francisco, I cannot do them. I have to delegate tasks to others and then double-check their work. I accompanied you to visit your parents but that does not mean I am exempt from my responsibilities.", Darcy answered while reading. He was still staring at the screen, so he didn't see the icy glare she fixed on him. He didn't mean to be curt, he was just preoccupied.

"Fine.", she said coldly and went downstairs alone.

* * *

When Jane and Bing arrived, everyone was downstairs and eagerly awaiting them so that they could begin eating. Darcy automatically sat next to Lizzie and he tried to grab her hand, but she didn't let him. He thought it was weird, but let it slide.

The family talked about different things and one of the topics which came up was the baby, of course.

"When are you supposed to find out if I'm getting a granddaughter or a grandson?", asked Mrs. Bennet.

"Well, we were supposed to find out tomorrow, but since we're not home, we'll just wait until we return.", answered Darcy.

"We _would've_ found out tomorrow if we had left earlier. But we came to visit you guys later because of William's _work_.", Lizzie mentioned with a slightly accusatory tone.

Darcy had been getting better at picking up on these types of cues, so he deduced that Lizzie was angry at him for making them come later. However, he thought himself mistaken because she had happily agreed to wait.

"Why can't you go to the doctor here? It's the same thing everywhere, I'm sure!", pushed Mrs. Bennet. She couldn't bare to wait another week.

"Hmm… you know what? That's a great idea, mom. You and Lydia can accompany me to find out. I'm sure Will won't mind. He probably has _work stuff_ to do. Sorry, Janie. I'd love for you to be there!"

"It's alright. But you need to call me right away!"

Mrs. Bennet beamed. "It's settled then. After we're done here, I'm gonna call up my old friend Mrs. Bates. Her daughter works at a clinic. I'll ask if she can squeeze us in."

Darcy's face fell a little. Nobody caught it but Mr. Bennet.

They continued their brunch and then hung out a little with Bing and Jane before it was time for them to go.

"It was a fun weekend! It was so good to see you all again! I'll miss you terribly!", Jane said as she went around saying goodbye to her mother and her sisters.

Mr. Bennet and Darcy left to drop Bing and Jane off at the airport. On their way back, they were alone, and Mr. Bennet decided to address what had occurred during brunch.

* * *

"So Darcy, you don't want to be there when they announce if you're gonna have a son or a daughter?"

Darcy wasn't expecting that particular question and looked up from his phone to see Mr. Bennet watching him intently.

"Umm. Yes. I would like to be there. But perhaps Lizzie wanted to share that with her mother. She has missed you all quite a lot."

"So you _do_ want to be there?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, they had already made plans and-"

"Son, I don't know what you and Lizzie are arguing about, but you deserve to be there. You're the father. And I'm sure you'll regret not being there the moment they tell Lizzie. I've had 3 children and let me tell you: the first thing Franny did when they broke the news was look to me. _Every single time_. You all need to make up, and quick."

"I haven't done anything to her. We haven't argued about anything. Why, just last night, we-", then he stopped abruptly, ears reddening a little, and cleared his throat. "She has no reason to be bothered with me, Mr. Ben-"

"Thomas.", Mr. Bennet corrected.

"Thomas."

"Well then, it looks to me like you two need to have a little chat. I know my daughter. And she's miffed about something."

When they got home, Lizzie was sitting at the kitchen table, eating pretzels dipped in vanilla ice cream. She was craving both salty and sweet and put these two together. Darcy searched for her and when he finally found her, he got down in front of her, as if begging, and grabbed her hand. She tried to remove it from his grasp but he didn't let her.

"What do _you_ want? Don't you have some work to do? Responsibilities to carry out, Mr. _C-E-O_?"

"Lizzie, are you angry with me?"

She shoved another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.

"Okay. I am going to assume you are and that it has to do with work? Is it because I was reading emails this morning?"

"You made it seem like you didn't wanna be here! Like you're here against your own will and you'd rather be at Pemberley!", she whispered harshly.

"What? No! That's ridiculous!"

Lizzie's eyes teared up a little.

"Don't cry, Lizzie. Look at me... I'm here because I want to be here. This is my family too now, right? I'm sorry if I have to check my phone often, but it's not because I'd rather be anywhere else. It's just part of the job. I'm sorry.", he said regretfully.

"Fine."

"So are we okay?"

"Yes."

"And I can come tomorrow to find if _our_ baby is going to be a boy or a girl?"

Lizzie smiled at the thought of finally knowing. "Yes."

"And can I have a kiss from my beautiful girlfriend that I wouldn't trade for all the emails in the world?"

She tried to fight it, but ended up smiling anyway. "Yes."

She leaned down and kissed him softly. Her mouth tasted like the ice cream-pretzels and he thought it was pretty tasty. He got up and joined her at the table, dipping a pretzel into her bowl of ice cream, and eating it.

Mr. Bennet walked by the kitchen and saw that they had made up. _"Oh, young love.",_ he reminisced. He smiled to himself and kept on moving. His wife was on her way to the kitchen and he intercepted her with a kiss of his own, just because. That was always the best way to get her to shut up or stop what she was doing. He was pretty sure Lydia was the result of one particular night when she just wouldn't stop complaining about their neighbor's cat.

* * *

Charlotte stopped by later that evening to say her goodbyes.

"You better let me know my godkid's gender! I better not have to find out by video again.", Charlotte warned.

"Yes. I will call right away! I promise."

The girls shared a long hug and then parted.

"See you around, Darcy. Take care of Lizzie for me.", Charlotte said before finally leaving.

When they were in bed, ready to go to sleep, Lizzie decided to apologize for earlier.

"I'm sorry I got mad at you, babe. It was the hormones, I swear."

"It's okay, Lizzie. Let's just forget about it. Let's think about something more pleasant. Our baby's gender, for example. What would you like to see?"

"You first."

"I don't have a preference. I would be happy with a healthy baby of either sex."

"I would like a boy first, actually. I grew up with too many girls.", Lizzie laughed.

"First? As in there will be more children?"

"Yeah, eventually, right? Maybe one more?

"Really? I've always wanted a large family since Georgiana and I were so alone. I was thinking maybe five."

"Five?! _Wow_. That's a lot."

"We have sufficient funds to raise five kids. I don't see any reason why we should limit ourselves."

"Uhh… how about I might not wanna be pregnant _five_ times?"

"After we have this baby, you'll see. You'll want more."

"Hmm. We'll see about that."

Darcy just laughed.

* * *

They were all off bright and early to the clinic. Lizzie was lying on the cot getting her ultrasound in a matter of minutes after arriving. Mrs. Bennet's call proved to be very helpful.

"Everything is looking fine. The baby is at an average weight and size. The heartbeat is normal. That baby is in perfect condition. You said you were 16 weeks today?... Well, you don't have to visit your doctor again until you enter your third trimester. You can- if you want- but it's not necessary. You can save a few bucks that way.", said the nurse.

"Money isn't a problem, darlin'. My son-in-law is a CEO!", Mrs. Bennet boasted.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. _"Really, mom?"_ , she thought. Darcy noticed that whenever his money was brought up Lizzie always seemed bothered and made a mental note to address it.

"Oh okay then… Well, would you like to hear the gender? I'm pretty certain I can tell already."

"YES!", Lizzie and Darcy answered at the same time. They laughed and then got ready to hear the big news. Darcy held Lizzie's hand and stared at the monitor.

"Well, you see this area right here? This is where the baby's reproductive organs are located. If it was a boy, we'd see some sign of the penis around right here.", she pointed out with the mouse. "But instead, you can see the formation of the labia and clitoris right here."

"So that's my granddaughter in there?", asked Mrs. Bennet excitedly.

"Yes. Your baby is a female."

Lizzie looked over at Darcy and both of their eyes had begun to water. Darcy hugged Lizzie tightly and she began crying.

"We're gonna have a baby girl, Will.", she whispered incredulously as the tears poured from her eyes.

"A little princess to rule my heart alongside her mother."

She wanted a boy but instead was given a girl. She should've known, since nothing ever goes the way she plans. But she didn't care anymore.

"Oh, William!", Lizzie exclaimed, and began showering him with lots of kisses all over his face.

Lydia and Mrs. Bennet were also shedding tears and Lydia was already dialing Jane to tell her that there would be yet another girl in the Bennet family.

On the car ride back, after Darcy and Lizzie had spoken to Jane and Bing, Charlotte, Gigi, Fitz, and Aunt Catherine, Mrs. Bennet started asking about names.

"You're gonna name her after her grandmama, right, dear?

"Actually... yes. Her middle name will be... Anne."

Darcy looked at Lizzie, and said, "Really?"

"My name isn't Anne, sweetie."

"No, but Will's mother's name was Anne. She's her grandmother, too.", Lizzie said determinedly.

Darcy was touched. "Thank you, my love.", he said as he placed a kiss on her hand.

"How sweet... but what about her first name? Francine is a lovely name!"

"I really like Isabella.", Lizzie proposed. She didn't know where it came from, since she never really researched any girl names, but that name felt right to her.

"Isabella Anne Darcy Bennet… that sounds perfect.", Darcy agreed.

Mrs. Bennet felt cheated.

"If I have another girl, I will name her Francine, mom! I swear."

"Hmmm! I bet Janie will name her first born after me."

When Mr. Bennet was told, he was happy for them. He gave Darcy a pat on the back and said, "Welcome to the daughter's club, son."

* * *

When they got to bed, Lizzie and Darcy couldn't go to sleep right away. They kept talking to Isabella. And Darcy kept kissing Lizzie's belly. Eventually, though, the excitement of the day's events took their toll.

"Good night, Lizzie.", Darcy said sleepily.

"Good night, Will.", she said stifling a yawn.

"Good night, Isabella.", Darcy whispered.

And in a funny little kid voice, Lizzie whispered back, "Good night, daddy!"

Darcy chuckled, "I love you two."

"We love you, too."

* * *

**FINALLY GUYS! THERE YOU HAVE IT. LIZZIE AND DARCY ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY GIRL! :D**

**Isabella Darcy. How did you like the name? I thought it was super cute and sounded like it went well with the surname Darcy.**

**Next chapter Lizzie enjoys the last bit of her visit back home and officially moves to San Fran with Darcy.  
**

**Thanks for reading! :)**


	24. Going Home

**Lizzie and Darcy go on a date and Lizzie officially moves away from her hometown.**

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy spent a lovely week in Lizzie's hometown. Lizzie spent lots of girl time with Lydia and her mom, and Mr. Bennet even took Darcy fishing!

Also, since Darcy had almost always refused to lower himself by going out with everyone back in the Netherfield days, Lizzie was now able to show Darcy around town. There were two cars at her house- her dad's car and another family car that everyone else used- so Lizzie would take the other car and go exploring with Darcy and Lydia.

On one particular day, Lydia said she had made plans with their cousin Mary, so she asked Lizzie to drop her off before going off with Darcy.

"Sure thing, Lyds. I haven't seen Mary since your birthday party last year. It'll be nice to see her."

When Lizzie, Lydia, and Darcy arrived at the other Bennets home, Mary was already waiting for them outside. She was sitting on the porch, reading a book.

"Hey, guys!", Mary said as she got up to greet her cousins.

"Sup!", said Lydia. Besides her sisters, Mary was her best friend.

"Lizzie! I saw your video! Congratulations!", Mary said as she hugged Lizzie.

"Thank you, Mary! Oh, and you already know who he is, but let me formally introduce you: Mary, this is my boyfriend, William Darcy. Will, this is my cousin, Mary Bennet. My dad's brother's daughter."

That was the first time Lizzie had ever introduced Darcy as her boyfriend in real life. It felt really good to be able to say that.

"Ahh yes, the baby-daddy. Ha ha. Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine.", he replied as they shook hands.

"Is that Elizabeth? My, my! A lot has changed since the last time I saw you! Congratulations! Tommy called me and told me the good news.", said Henry Bennet, Mr. Bennet's younger brother, as he opened the front door.

"Thank you, Uncle Henry!"

"And I'm guessing this is the young man we have to thank for the newest addition to the Bennet family?", he teased. The teasing really _did_ run in the family.

"Well when you put it like that, yes, I suppose so.", Darcy said with a smile. "William Darcy. Nice to meet you, sir."

"Would you all like to come in? It's been a while since we saw you girls."

Mary interrupted, "Actually, dad, Lydia and I have plans. Lizzie just came to drop her off. We gotta go."

"Oh okay. Maybe the next time you're in town, Elizabeth.", he said with a hint of sadness. He was just like Mr. Bennet when it came to family. He loved his daughter and his nieces.

Darcy noticed and said, "Well, Lizzie and I live together in San Francisco and I don't know if you knew, but she has big plans over there; she is starting up her own business. It might be a while before she can return... I don't think we would mind visiting with you for a little while."

Lizzie looked over at Darcy, surprised.

"Alright then. Come on in! I'll ask Margaret to make some iced tea.", said Uncle Henry excitedly as he led the couple into the living room. "What's the name of the little critter, again? Isabelle?"

" _Isabella._ " _,_ said Darcy and Lizzie as they corrected him in unison, causing them to smile.

They had spent about an hour visiting with her relatives and when they were in the car on their way to their original destination, Lizzie said to Darcy, "Wow, babe, that was really nice of you to visit my aunt and uncle. I actually did want to spend some time with them but I didn't think you'd want to. You were great with them. They absolutely loved you!"

"It was no bother at all. I'm curious about your family. They were really wonderful people. And I could definitely tell that he is your father's brother. They have the same sense of humor."

"Yup. Sarcasm and wit run thick in the Bennet bloodline. And if you're really curious, wait until you meet my mother's side.", Lizzie said with a laugh. "But seriously, thank you. I appreciate your willingness to meet my family. You've come a long way."

"You spent time with my aunt after she'd been awful with you and managed to make her love you. It's only fair that I do the same. And in regards to having come a long way, I have. Thanks to you, my love, I am no longer 'Snobby Mr. Douchey'."

They were at a red light, so Lizzie surprised Darcy with a quick kiss on the lips. "Mmhmm. 'Snobby Mr. Douchey' would've never gotten one of those."

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy decided to go do something they'd never done, so the pair went to an artsy little sweets shop, called _Color Me Mine_. There, Lizzie and Darcy picked out blank mugs and plates, painted them, had the store fire them up, and then took home their personalized pieces, along with some cupcakes.

"Okay, Will. I'm gonna make you something, and you're gonna make me something. But it has to be a surprise. No peeking."

"Understood."

But of course, neither one followed the rule. They were sat at opposite ends of a table and made a wall of sorts in the middle of the table from the menus, in order to cover their work. But occasionally, Darcy would get up to peek at Lizzie's work and vice-versa. Suffice it to say there was plenty of giggling and laughing. Then came the moment to reveal their creations.

"I made this for Isabella.", stated Lizzie, holding up a small square plate that she had painted lavender. It had the phrase _'Mommy loves you'_ painted in pink and there was a big red heart in place of the word love. There were also mini hearts painted randomly across the plate.

"That is adorable. She will love eating off of it.", commented Darcy.

"And this is for you... Please keep in mind that I majored in Mass Comm, not art.", she joked.

It was a coffee mug painted light blue, with a figure that Darcy guessed was supposed to be him in a bow-tie holding hands with a red head that he assumed was supposed to be Lizzie. There were little hearts all around them. _"It's the thought that counts. Maybe I should suggest that Lizzie take some painting lessons..."_

"I love it; it is beautiful. I'll drink coffee from it every morning.", he promised.

She knew it sucked, but she loved that he liked it anyway.

"And what did _you_ make?", Lizzie asked curiously. He had taken longer to paint than she had.

"I also made something for our daughter.", Darcy said with a smile. It felt surreal to them that approximately 5 months from now, they'd be parents to a baby girl. He held up a little round plate that was painted pink and had _'Daddy's Little Princess'_ written on it in blue paint. Underneath the phrase he painted a little crown.

"Awww!", Lizzie said. She knew he was going to make an amazing dad.

"And I made this for you.", he said hesitantly. He had worked really hard on it. It was a mug with Lizzie's face painted on it on one side and a note on the other.

Lizzie's jaw dropped. It was beautiful. The painting actually looked like her. It never came up in conversation, but the Darcys were pretty good artists. Their mother started them on painting lessons shortly before she passed and they continued long after.

"Is this why you kept peeking? To study my face?", she asked.

Darcy nodded yes with a smug expression.

"I love it, baby, it's great. I had no idea you were so talented!", she said admiring his skills. She then turned the mug over and written in that beautiful cursive that she had first seen back when he gave her the letter explaining Wickham's misdeeds against Gigi, was a very simple note:

 _I love you, Lizzie._  
Just a reminder.  
\- William

That put a really big smile on her face. That simple little note made her feel like hundreds of butterflies were fluttering about in her stomach.

"I love you, too, William."

"I know.", he said with all the certainty in the world.

Lizzie picked out some cupcakes and then went to pay. Darcy immediately objected, but she wouldn't hear it.

"I wanted to take _you_ out for a change, Will. Let me pay today. You've paid for pretty much _everything_ since our first date.", she argued. She wasn't completely destitute. She had some money of her own and she had recently gotten graduation money sent to her by many different relatives.

Darcy gave up because Lizzie would not budge, but he wasn't happy about it.

When they were back in the car, Lizzie gushed about what a nice date it had been.

"And all this driving around I'm doing made me realize how much I miss driving.", she said mainly to herself. But Darcy took note of it.

 _"_ _She misses driving? I can fix that."_ , he decided.

* * *

Later that night, she went into her father's study to ask for a little relationship advice.

"What would you like to know?"

"Well, it's about money… I'd like your opinion on how to handle mine and Will's disparity where finances are concerned."

"Handle? Is there a problem?"

"Well, not really... But kind of... It's me. I don't feel comfortable with William paying for everything all the time and buying me random crap. I tell him he doesn't have to do stuff like that but he does it anyway. And then that makes me feel like he's belittling my desire to do my own thing."

"Lizzie, I'm sorry to break the news to you, but you are in a _relationship_ and are going to be a _mother_ soon. There is no such thing as 'my own thing' anymore."

Lizzie suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.

"You _know_ what I mean, dad."

"Have you tried _talking_ to Darcy?"

"Yeah. But I don't think he gets it."

"Well then _make_ him 'get it' or you two are going to have a major problem."

 _"_ _Ughhhh. Not helping, dad.",_ she thought.

"Alright. Thanks, dad."

"Anytime, Ellie."

"Don't call me that, dad.", she complained before leaving.

"Okay, Ellie.", he replied with a smile.

* * *

Sunday, June 2nd, arrived marking the end of their ten-day visit. Lizzie had returned to her childhood home almost the same as she'd left it, but now she was leaving her house for good. She was leaving with a graduate degree and lots of hope for a bright future. She packed pretty much all the stuff that she didn't want to leave behind and was going to have it shipped to Darcy's house because that was her house now, too.

"Bye, ma!", Lizzie yelled up the stairs after all their luggage was in the car. Mr. Bennet and Lydia were going to drop them off.

"Oh, _I can't bare it_! Just go, Elizabeth, dear! Call me when y'all get home.", Mrs. Bennet shouted back in a hoarse voice, as if she had been crying.

"I think you'd better go up there, Lizzie.", Lydia suggested.

Lizzie sighed. _"Mom is_ such _a drama queen."_

When she got upstairs, her mother was in her bedroom, which was almost unrecognizable due to the lack of all of Lizzie's pictures and posters and books.

"Mom…", Lizzie said as she walked to the room and found her mother sitting on her bed.

"I told you to go, sweetie. My poor nerves…"

She joined her mom on the bed and said, "What's wrong, mom? Why are you crying? I thought you'd be happy."

"Happy to have my baby _leave me_? No, never."

"But wasn't that always your plan? For us to marry rich dudes and leave the house? You're two for two.", she tried to joke, but her mother just sniffled.

"You didn't cry when Janie left."

"I did. After y'all left. But it ain't the same, Lizzie. I always thought you'd stick around the longest. But look at you! All _successful_ and _in love_ and carrying my _first grandbaby_! You know, you never _were_ predictable. Not since the day you were born. You've always kept me on my toes... I'm so proud of you, Elizabeth. I really am. And I'm happy for you, but I'm also sad for myself. Two of my babies are gone... And Lydia is probably not gonna be much longer either. And then what will I do? My life has been dedicated to raising you girls."

"You and dad can bond. Find hobbies to do together. There are plenty of things you could do. And once I have enough, I will buy you and dad a vacation to wherever you guys would like to go. I promise."

"Honey, you're daddy and I do _plenty_ of _bonding_. No need to worry about that-"

"Mooommm! Ewww!"

"Oh quiet down, Lizzie! Whatever you and Darcy have done is nothing. Wait until you've been together for almost 30 years.", she chuckled.

"Not cool, Mom."

Mrs. Bennet sighed. "I'm just gonna miss you, that's all. I know you girls think I'm just a big ole fool, but I do love y'all with all my heart. I'll get used to it, don't worry. I just need to cry for a few days, that's all. I'll be fine."

"I'll miss you, too, mommy.", Lizzie said as she went in for a hug.

Lizzie hadn't called her mommy in so long. Mrs. Bennet was going to burst into tears as soon as Lizzie left.

"Alright now. Go! And don't think I won't remember that you promised me a vacation!", said Mrs. Bennet in a deceptively cheery tone.

Lizzie smiled at her mother before leaving her childhood bedroom.

* * *

They arrived at the airport and it was time to say farewell to her little sister and her father. Mr. Bennet gave Darcy a hug, shook his hand, and patted him on the back before finally going over to his favorite daughter to say goodbye.

"So I guess you and Will are best friends now, huh?", Lizzie asked her father.

"Oh yes, quite so. Darcy and I are two peas in a pod. He helped me download his Domino application to the desktop computer and to my cell phone. He gave it to Lydia, too. So I guess our Skype-ing days are over. We'll use Domino to support the family business."

"Look at you, dad! All tech-savvy!", Lizzie remarked.

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?", he chuckled.

"I'm gonna miss you, dad. I think you should go easy on mom. She was crying earlier."

"Don't worry about your mother. I'll handle it. You just worry about keeping yourself healthy for little Bella there."

"I will…"

"And remember that you can always come home. Not that I think you'll ever have to quit San Francisco, but just in case. You can always come home."

"I know, daddy…"

Mr. Bennet hugged Lizzie really tightly and then gave her a kiss on the forehead before walking away to his car.

"Yo, Lizzie! No sad goodbyes, here, 'kay? We'll be in constant communication. It is my duty as a baby sister to annoy you."

Lizzie laughed away the melancholy feeling her dad's goodbye had left her with. "Of course, Lydia."

"Bye, baby Belle! Peace out, Darceface!", Lydia said as she saluted them and spun around, running to the car.

"Lizzie, come on. We have to check in. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm perfect. Let's go home.", she said with a smile and grabbed Darcy's hand.

* * *

**T** **hey're gonna go back to San Fran and Lizzie's gonna start to work on her project. There will be some trouble in paradise (but it will be resolved quickly!). And then some other things. :)**

 


	25. Aaron Fields

"Check this out, Will!", Lizzie said excitedly as she ran into Darcy's office at Pemberley on a Monday afternoon.

"Whoa, slow down, Lizzie.", he cautioned. "What has you so excited?"

"Look what came in the mail this morning!", she announced, waving around her new license and voter registration cards. Since she had officially moved to San Francisco with Darcy two weeks ago, she had filled out change of address forms for all her important documents.

Darcy smiled, amused at her excitement of sharing the same address as him.

"It's official now.", Darcy commented.

"Yup!", she said making her way around his desk to sit on his lap.

"What are your plans for lunch? I am really busy today, so I was thinking perhaps we could just order from Pemberley's cafeteria and have them bring it up?", Darcy suggested as he patted Lizzie's belly. "What do you say? What are you and Isabella in the mood for?"

"Actually, we can't lunch with you today... Part of the reason why I came over was to show you my new address but also because I had received a call from my co-producer. We have yet to meet face-to-face, and he suggested we meet for lunch. We might also go visit the building Aunt Catherine is renting to us so we can start setting up shop."

"Oh, okay. No problem. I'll try my best to get home in time for dinner, then, so that we can share at least one meal together today. Are you excited to meet him, this co-producer? What is his name again?"

"Aaron. Aaron Fields. I'm really eager to finally meet him so that I can determine if we'll work well together. He looks great on paper and sounded nice on the phone, but you never _really_ know."

"Well hopefully he's perfect for you so you don't have to waste time searching for another producer."

"That's the plan... Well, I've gotta go, babe. Wish me luck!"

"Wait, let me walk you out. You have refused to let me get you a personal chauffeur; this is the least I can do."

"Alright.", she agreed as she got off of Darcy's lap.

Darcy opened the door for her and as soon as he closed the door behind him, he got ahold of her hand. They walked, hand in hand, to the elevator, being greeted and congratulated by a few Pemberley employees. Not many people at the company knew about Lizzie's videos, but word that she and Darcy were an item and that she was pregnant spread like wildfire.

"I'll see you later, Will.", Lizzie said when they reached the lobby of the building. "Thanks for walking me out. I feel bad about ditching you for lunch, though.", she confessed as she squeezed his torso. That was the easiest way to hug him due to their height difference.

"It is perfectly okay. I'm busy, too, my darling. Besides... you can always make it up to me later.", he whispered in her ear as he slid his hands down from Lizzie's lower back to her bottom.

He helped himself to a generous squeeze, which caused Lizzie to gasp and look around to determine if anyone had seen.

She blushed and hit Darcy on the chest. "William Darcy! Not in public, and definitely not at _Pemberley_!", she whispered, still checking to see if anyone had noticed.

Darcy laughed at her, enjoying the pink shade that now colored her face. "What are they going to do? _Fire me_?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes at him and laughed. "The perks of being your own boss. Yet another reason why I look forward to succeeding with this project... Which reminds me, I'm going to be late if I don't leave soon, baby."

"Of course. It was never my intention to hold you up."

"Then can you let go of my ass, Will?"

Darcy sighed and reluctantly moved his hands to Lizzie's waist. "You know... you could always just take my car. Or I can have someone come pick you up..."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I like taking the bus. I get to see more of the city."

"If you say so..."

"Yes, I say so.", she said with a smile.

Lizzie moved her hands to Darcy's face and caressed his cheeks with her thumbs.

 _"Why is he so damn cute?! Will this feeling ever fade?"_ , she wondered as she tip-toed to place a tender kiss on his lips before leaving.

She was out the glass door soon after and turned around to wave to Darcy, who was waiting until she was out of site. He waved back with a smile as she disappeared into the busy streets of San Francisco.

 _"Stubborn woman. Why waste time with public transportation? I am definitely going to get her a new car."_ , Darcy decided as he headed toward Pemberley's cafeteria.

* * *

Lizzie arrived at the restaurant and was surprised to find that Mr. Aaron Fields was a hottie. Like, he was _smokin'_.

 _"How is he not a model?"_ , Lizzie asked herself in disbelief. He seemed to be about thirty years old; he was tall with dark blonde hair and the most amazing hazel eyes. _"And is that a designer suit? That thing must've cost a fortune. Is this guy rich or something?"_

"Ms. Bennet! It's a pleasure to finally meet you!", he said in a cheerful tone as he extended his hand.

Lizzie shook it and replied, "Please, call me Elizabeth. I'm sorry we couldn't meet sooner. I graduated from grad school a few weeks ago and-"

"I know! I watch your videos.", he said with a laugh.

"Oh! Okay... Well then, since you know a lot about me, tell me a little about yourself, Aaron. It's only fair.", she said.

"Well, let's see... I graduated from grad school a few years back. I majored in film production. I've directed a few short movies that were shown at film festivals in several states. I-"

"I know all this! You have an amazing resume. I meant for you to share about yourself."

"Ooohh. Hmm. I'm from a big family. I have four younger brothers. My mom patented this thing back in the 80's and she made a fortune. Uhh, I'm single. Oh, and I omitted this from my resume because I wanted you to take me seriously, but I also model occasionally. I won't take any jobs when we're working on the project, though; I throw myself 100% into my work."

 _"I knew it!_ ", Lizzie thought smugly after hearing him speak.

She had a nice lunch with Aaron and decided that he would be awesome to work with. He was a little too talkative, but she preferred that to someone who was too reserved. She suggested they check out Aunt Catherine's building and he agreed.

"When would you be available? I would take us but I didn't drive here.", she lamented.

"I have my car. We could go now, if you want."

"Oh, perfect! I've only been there a handful of times, but it's amazing. So much space!"

Lizzie and Aaron visited the location and walked around, discussing what to do with the space. As Aaron had had previous experience on movie sets, he was able to give his advice and Lizzie gladly accepted it.

"You know, I think we can shoot the pilot soon. I'll get in contact with the investors and let them know I have a co-producer and location. All we would need is funding for the pilot and some advertisements and we'd be good to go. If it is received well, which I'm confident it will be, then we can get more funding to continue the show."

"That sounds great, Elizabeth. I'm looking forward to it."

"I'm sorry but I have to ask: Why are you so interested in being part of this project? You gave a pretty good answer when we did the phone interview but now that I know a little more about you, I'm curious again. Surely you could find a modeling gig with no problem, and with your resume I'm sure you could book a job on a real film set..."

"When my agent told me Lizzie Bennet of _the_ Lizzie Bennet Diaries was looking for a producer for a new project, how could I not be interested? Frankly, I'm a fan of your videos, and I am passionate about film and entertainment. The internet seems to be taking over as the primary means of scripted content and I believe, with your fan base, we can make something huge.", he expressed sincerely.

Lizzie was not expecting that. "Wow... great response! It's going to be a pleasure working with you.", Lizzie said sticking out her hand for a goodbye hand shake.

Aaron offered her a ride, but she declined. She thought it'd be weird for him to know where she lived so soon. She spent her commute sending emails and making phone calls to investors and before she reached the bus stop near her house, Lizzie had secured the money necessary to make the pilot episode.

On her short walk to the gates of her home, Lizzie called Aaron and left him a message telling him about the funding. "Give me a call so we can decide the best day to go out and interview people for their anecdotes."

* * *

When Darcy finally got home from work, he found Lizzie finishing up a phone call.

"Alright. Perfect. This Saturday, then?", Lizzie said to the phone before blowing a kiss at Darcy, who had appeared in the doorway. "Yes, that would be an ideal location... Okay, bye."

Lizzie was in the living room, watching TV and waiting for Darcy, when Aaron called back to finalize details of their plan to find people to interview.

"What's happening on Saturday?", Darcy asked as he joined Lizzie on the couch. He grabbed Lizzie's feet and started massaging them for her.

"That was Aaron. I got the money for the pilot episode of the show! We're gonna go to that really busy park near the Marina to get anecdotes from people. Then we'll record my costume theater versions at the office building."

"So your meeting with Aaron went well?"

"Yeah. He's really knowledgeable about filming and stuff. Oh, and he's super hot. Turns out that he dabbles in modeling as well. I'm gonna ask if he wants to be one of the costume theater cast. The ladies of the internet will swoon.", Lizzie said with a chuckle.

Darcy's eyebrows shot up in response. "A really well-rounded man, I see.", he said dryly.

"William Darcy, are you _jealous_?", Lizzie teased in a sing-song voice.

"I come home from a long day at work to find my girlfriend conversing with some guy she thinks is attractive. I am not jealous, but I am not exactly happy about it either.", answered Darcy. He used more force when massaging Lizzie's feet to emphasize his point.

"Oh please, Will! As if I could ever have eyes for anybody else but you. You don't ever need to worry about that. _Ever._ Have you forgotten I'm pregnant with _your_ kid? I just happen to think he's hot. Don't act like you don't notice beautiful women."

"I do not.", as if she had offended him.

"Well then I give you permission to _start_ noticing. It's not going to hurt my feelings if you see a woman and think she's hot. I totally trust you."

"I am looking at the most beautiful woman in the world right now. Ever since I laid eyes on you at that wedding, I have yet to notice anyone else."

"That's sweet, Will. Thank you.", she said. She had gotten much better at accepting compliments in the past few months. "And thank you for rubbing my feet. They were kind of killing me. Note to self: bring back-up flats to change into after meetings."

"If you had accepted my offer for a ride then maybe your feet wouldn't hurt..."

"Drop it, William. I'm fine with my means of transportation; _really_.", she said as she removed her feet from his lap and got up. "Now, let's go eat! I was waiting for you but I'm starving, babe. Little Isabella is sucking the life out of me."

"You've been carrying our daughter for 19 weeks today, Lizzie. Almost half way there.", he mentioned after getting up.

"I know! And I'm really starting to feel it. It's crazy how just three weeks ago we found we were having a girl. I want her out already because being pregnant has gotten a lot harder lately, but I'm also nervous about finally meeting her."

"I am sorry you have to be the one to carry her. I would trade places with you if it were possible."

"Would you? Would you _really_?"

"...", Darcy just stayed quiet. No way could he handle being pregnant.

"Ha ha, I didn't think so. Let's go eat! I think the cook made chicken parm!"

* * *

The rest of the week brought on a new set of pregnancy symptoms. In addition to the aching of her pelvic region that indicated the stretching of ligaments, she started to have trouble sleeping. There was less cuddling with Darcy and more cuddling with pillows. She started sleeping with pillows all around her and one between her legs. The lack of sleep brought on a higher level of irritability on Lizzie's part, which Darcy bore like a saint. She had been especially crabby the night before, so Darcy was pleasantly surprised when Lizzie invited him to join her on Saturday.

Darcy had come in from running and was on his way to wash up, when he heard a yawn from the bed.

From underneath the sea of pillows and blankets, Lizzie said, "Good morning, Will."

"Good morning. Did I wake you?"

"No. I was already awake when you came in.", she said as she sat up and stretched.

"Did you sleep well?"

"I actually did. I'm sorry about all this.", she said gesturing to the pillows.

"No need to apologize.", he said, shrugging off her apology. He really did feel bad. He had no idea how uncomfortable being pregnant was. And she was barely halfway done. _"I might have to rethink my wish for five children."_

"What are your plans for today, babe?"

"I was just headed to the shower and then I was going to go over some reports."

"How would you like to go to the park with me? I'll be there to get some stories for the pilot episode with Aaron, but afterwards we could make a date out of it."

"I will gladly accompany you, my love.", he answered. He could see she was in a good mood and decided to test his luck. "Would you... care to accompany _me_?", he asked, pointing towards the bathroom with his chin.

"Hmm, I never made it up to you for missing lunch on Monday, did I?... and you do always look really sexy after you workout...", she said with a naughty smile as she got up from the bed. "You get in the shower first; I have to brush my teeth."

* * *

Before leaving for the the park, Lizzie tweeted where she was going to be.

_Going to the park by the marina. Hoping to find some people with interesting stories!_

She hoped that some people would show up so that she could be certain she'd have some good material for the pilot. But she just kept getting messages and comments asking her about the baby.

 _"We have to make an update video soon. People are dying to know about the baby."_ , Lizzie noted as they parked.

"Hey, Aaron!", Lizzie said as she and Darcy walked over to the rendezvous point.

"Hi, Elizabeth!", he waved.

"This is my boyfriend, William Darcy. But you know that already.", she said with a smile.

"Yes. Nice to meet you, Mr. Darcy! Aaron Fields, but please, call me Aaron.", he said excitedly while extending his hand. He was a fan of the LBD and to see Lizzie and Darcy together was a treat.

Darcy shook his hand and said, "Likewise, Aaron. Well, then... I will be sitting at that bench over there reading these reports. Good luck with your interviews."

He kissed Lizzie on the lips and then left them to do their thing. Aaron was carrying the brand new camera and mic set that the investors' funding had paid for. They set it up and got to searching. They were maybe two minutes into their quest, when they stumbled across someone who had read Lizzie's tweet.

"Umm... Hi, Lizzie...", someone said behind her.

* * *

**This Aaron dude has a purpose. He's not just some random OC I threw in to bore you all, lol. And I really don't wanna dig myself into a hole with Lizzie's project, so I'll try to be vague with it to avoid lots of inaccuracy and also to avoid boring you guys!**


	26. A Successful Day

**Thanks to FF user SOLYAHU who inspired this meeting with Caroline months ago! I finally got around to it lol.** **I didn't really care for** **P &P Caroline, but LBD Caroline I felt kinda bad for her. Almost everyone is going to have a happy ending in this fic and she's one of them. This chapter is kinda Caroline-centric so yeahh. And thank you FF user falynn07 ;) **

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

_"Yes!",_ Lizzie thought as she turned around, _"Someone actually showed up!"_

"Caroline Lee?!", Aaron asked astonished. First he got to see Lizzie and Darcy together and now Caroline showed up on the very same day! _"Is it my lucky day or what?"_

"Caroline… what are you doing here? Uhh… hi?", Lizzie was caught off-guard. She hadn't seen Caroline since the charity event and hadn't heard from her since her congratulatory tweet.

"Hi, Lizzie. And hi…"

"Aaron! Aaron Fields. It's a pleasure to meet you.", Aaron answered enthusiastically. He had a bit of a crush on her.

Caroline smiled and said, "Hi, Aaron. Nice to meet you, too." She thought he was extremely handsome and wondered why Lizzie Bennet was always surrounded by good-looking men.

"I came to San Francisco to buy a limited edition couture dress. The boutique happens to be very near here… I saw your tweet and figured I'd contribute to your project.", she said with a hint of hesitance. She didn't know if she'd be welcome.

After a few seconds of silence from Lizzie, Aaron intercepted. "Sure! Have a seat on that bench over there. The lighting is perfect there."

As Caroline walked away, Aaron nudged Lizzie and whispered, "Come on, Elizabeth! Having Caroline on the pilot episode would be a fantastic idea."

"Of course, of course. I'm just shocked, is all. Caroline and I weren't exactly best friends the last time we saw each other…"

"Was it that time when she showed up at Collins&Collins and wanted to find out about Darcy's letter?"

Lizzie couldn't help but chuckle. He really _was_ a fan of the LBD. "No. I saw her again after that… but we'll talk about that later. Let's go see what she has to share."

Lizzie sat next to Caroline on the bench and when Aaron signaled that he was rolling, Lizzie asked, "So… Caroline. It's been a while… How have you been?"

"I've been fabulous. I went traveling to South America to get inspiration for my interior redecoration of Netherfield. But for the last month or so, I've been in LA consulting with some new homeowners on decorating their houses. Design has always been my forte.", she answered proudly. Her mannerisms were the same: the hair flipping and animated gesturing were still present in her behavior. She didn't seem as uppity as before, though.

"Oh, okay. So do you wanna share your adventures in South America?"

Caroline sighed. "No. Actually, I wanted to share the story of my petty attitude and its negative repercussions…"

"I don't understand…", Lizzie commented.

"Well, you see, I had a friend that had been in my life for many years. We were very similar in many aspects and I thought I was in love with that friend. He had money, like me, and he was a man that didn't consort with _just anybody_. I thought since he was so selective and would never settle for anything other than the best, that he would remain an eligible bachelor and eventually agree to marry me. I was mistaken, however…"

She looked Lizzie in the eyes when she continued. "He found a woman that is perfect for him. And it runs in the family, too, because her sister is a real-life freakin' Disney princess!"

She paused to laugh and Lizzie laughed along with her.

 _"So true!",_ Lizzie thought.

"I was jealous of this woman's charm and of Dar-, I mean, _my friend's_ , attraction to her. They ended up getting together despite many obstacles and my friend changed. He was no longer the man that would people-watch with me and help me ridicule others. That woman inspired him to change. She made him realize that the person he was, wasn't the best he could be; so he learned to be less proud and prejudiced and when he met the woman again, he found that she was willing to give him a chance."

Caroline paused and looked at Lizzie to see how she was reacting to her tale so far. Lizzie's face was calm. She had a look like she was intrigued, though, so Caroline continued.

"And then when I met my old friend and this woman again, they were dating. I was livid. I felt betrayed. I thought 'How could he possibly pick her over me?!'. I tried to pop their happy bubble… I convinced his aunt that the woman was using my friend for his money and that she must put an end to that relationship. That backfired on me, however because it seems as if the aunt and the woman are very close now…"

Lizzie's jaw dropped a little. She had no idea that it had been Caroline who instigated Aunt Catherine's tirade at the charity event. But she quickly composed herself.

Caroline soldiered on, thinking that Lizzie probably hated her.

"Then, I was left wondering why. What qualities did she possess? And I did a little self-analyzing… I was a total bitch. No amount of money or beauty is going to make someone love me if I'm mean. So I've been working on myself. Not only did this woman change my friend for the better, but she kind of changed me, too… I'm no longer jealous of the woman, either. Just happy for them and their little bun in the oven."

Caroline smiled and pointed toward Lizzie's belly. The last time they met, the bump was practically non-existent. Now, it was way more noticeable; especially since Lizzie was wearing a tank top. Caroline couldn't blame her for her attire, though. Lizzie left the cardigan she'd been wearing in the car because the fog cleared up and it was really sunny. However, Caroline was wearing a black and white Chanel dress that was _to die for_ , so she was more than willing to put up with the heat.

Lizzie was very touched that Caroline had put so much effort into her apology. She could've half-assed it over the phone or an email or twitter, but the fact that she apologized to Lizzie in person meant a lot to her. She wasn't going to completely forget what Caroline did to Bing and Jane and the horrible things she said about her and her family, but all was forgiven. They were practically family now, so over time they were sure to become closer.

Caroline asked, "May I?", referring to the baby bump.

Lizzie grabbed Caroline's hand and put it on her belly.

"Her name is Isabella.", Lizzie said with a huge smile. She loved sharing the news about her daughter.

*GASP*

Caroline and Lizzie both looked up at Aaron who had stopped recording.

"You're having a girl?!", he asked with excitement.

"Oh, I forgot! I haven't told the viewers yet! Don't tell anyone, okay?! We're keeping the gender a secret until after she's born.", Lizzie warned them.

Aaron nodded. "Of course, Elizabeth."

"Isabella is a beautiful name. How far along are you?", Caroline asked.

"Gonna be 20 weeks on Monday! I'm gonna make a video to update everyone. It's been a few weeks since the big announcement."

"What are you going to call Isabella? I doubt you're gonna be calling her 'It' the rest of your pregnancy.", Caroline wondered.

"Hmmm… I haven't thought that far ahead."

"It has to be something super cute. Like Darcybot, Jr. or something.", Caroline suggested.

That made Lizzie crack up. "Ahh that's hilarious. But that would imply that it's a boy and I want it to be a gender neutral nickname."

Aaron was brainstorming and then he took notice of Lizzie's necklace and exclaimed, "I've got it!"

Lizzie and Caroline looked at him expectantly and he blurted out, "Little Bowtie!". Lizzie was wearing her little bowtie necklace that Gigi had given her for her birthday.

The women immediately went, "Aww!", in unison. Aaron took that as approval. He was ecstatic; not only did he get a heads up on the gender of the baby, but he also got to nickname it.

"I love it! I'm gonna ask Will if that's alright with him."

"Oh, alright then. I guess I'll be seeing you around, Lizzie Bennet.", Caroline said, getting up.

"Wait, no, don't go. We should talk some more. Let's hang out! How long are you in San Francisco?"

"I only came for the dress. I have a flight back tomorrow morning."

"Oh… well, let's go say hi to William and then let's do something. Lunch and a movie?"

"I don't know… Darcy probably won't be too happy to see me."

"It's okay. Come on!"

Darcy was sitting on a bench reviewing and editing some reports when he saw Lizzie and Aaron accompanied by Caroline.

"Will! Look who saw my tweet.", Lizzie said happily.

Darcy saw that Lizzie was being friendly towards Caroline, so he thought he would act the same. Also, she was his best friend's sister and he couldn't stay angry at her forever.

"Hello, Caroline.", he said politely as he got up.

"Hey, Darcy.", she said shyly.

"Babe, Aaron and I still need a few more stories from people. Afterwards, I think we should all go to lunch together. Caroline, you stay here with William. Aaron and I shouldn't be more than half an hour. Come on, Aaron."

In the time that Caroline and Darcy were left alone, they inquired about each other's families, their jobs and pretty much anything they could think of that was not the charity event fiasco. But finally Caroline spoke about it first.

"I really _am_ sorry, Darcy. What I said about Lizzie was all just coming from a really bad place. I'm happy for you two."

"Thank you, Caroline. Let's not mention it anymore. I can't help but still feel angry when I think about the things you said. I love Lizzie and I am very protective of her, especially now that we have Isabella to consider. "

"I feel so disgusting for having said what I did. But okay, let's just forget about it… so are you excited about Isabella?"

They were talking about the baby when Lizzie and Aaron returned.

"Did you get what you needed?", Darcy asked.

"Yes. Lizzie and I were just speaking and we decided to shoot the costume theater versions during the week. The pilot episode should be ready to premiere by next weekend.", Aaron answered excitedly.

"And now it's time for lunch! Oh and baby, how do you like the nickname 'Little Bowtie' for Isabella? Aaron suggested that name for the videos."

Darcy chuckled. "It's certainly very _us_. I approve."

The four of them decided to eat somewhere near the marina, so they just walked. Darcy and Lizzie were walking hand in hand and having their own conversation, leaving Caroline and Aaron walking behind them.

* * *

"So what are you doing here with Lizzie? Are you her camera-man or something? Did Darcy hire you for her?"

"No, Lizzie hired me. I'm her co-producer for the project she's working on."

"Ohhh… I see. That's nice. So then you know about her videos?"

"Yeah. I've watched them all. I'm a big fan. I was rooting for her and Darcy all the way."

"So then you know who I am?", Caroline asked embarrassed. Usually the fact that her reputation preceded her was a good thing for her, but not in this case.

"Yes, I know who you are. I had a crush on you when you first appeared on Lizzie's videos, you know. I thought you were very beautiful.", he confessed.

"Thank you…", she said, thinking that he probably thought horrible things after everything she said and did.

"But…", Aaron continued, "You seem to have grown more beautiful. Being 'nice' suits you well."

Caroline couldn't help but smile. She was used to being called beautiful and being fancied by many men, but it was rare that someone as handsome as this Aaron fellow would be interested even after knowing what she'd done.

 _"He's a fan of Lizzie's videos, he was excited by the baby, he has an_ amazing _fashion sense, and not to mention he takes really good care of himself… he must be gay...",_ Caroline thought. She didn't let her disappointment show, however. "Thank you. You're not too bad yourself, Aaron."

"Yeah, I guess not. I mean, I've always found it bizarre seeing my face on billboards and stuff, but I do like what I see."

"Billboards?"

"I model on occasion. It's not really a big deal."

 _"And he's a model?! He'd be perfect!"_ Caroline sighed. "Wait a minute… I know your face! I saw it on that men's perfume ad at the airport!"

"Yes, that was probably me. I mostly do cologne and jeans advertisements."

 _"Damn!"_ , Caroline thought sadly. He was exactly her type, but with more modesty and an interest in film.

Lunch was a pleasant affair. Darcy saw that Caroline was much nicer to the servers than she had been in the past and he came to the conclusion that Aaron was not a threat. He actually kind of liked him.

"I know I said we'd watch a movie, Caroline, but I kinda just wanna go home. Would you mind coming over to our house? We could hang out there."

"I'd have to ride with you and Darcy, though, because I didn't rent a car; I took a cab."

"No problem.", Lizzie said with a smile. "And Aaron? Why don't you come over, too? Maybe you can get Will to put down the reports and enjoy this nice Saturday."

"Really?"

Darcy answered, "Sure. Just follow my car. You will be spending a lot of time with my girlfriend and my baby, so it would be good for me to know you a little more."

"Alright, Mr. Darcy."

"Please, just call me Darcy. There is no need for all the formality."

* * *

When they got to the house, Lizzie and Caroline headed straight for the theater. Lizzie blushed every time she entered because she recalled the time she and Darcy fell asleep watching Downton Abbey. That was when she hadn't yet come to terms with her feelings for him. It felt like ages ago. _"And now look at us: Living together with a baby girl on the way."_

Lizzie and Caroline decided on a cheesy romantic comedy. There was ice cream stocked in the fridge inside the theater (organic, of course), so Lizzie and Caroline helped themselves.

Meanwhile, Darcy did as his girlfriend asked and hung out with Aaron. Aaron told Darcy about himself as Darcy gave him a short tour of the estate. When they reached outside, the men decided to do some running around the track. It had been a long time since Darcy competed against anyone and he was looking forward to it. Darcy lent Aaron some running shorts and the guys were ready to race.

The ladies paused half-way through their movie to laugh at the stupidity of the characters.

"Can you imagine if at the charity event, we'd have reacted like those women? I mean, throwing champagne and cake at each other? Really?", Lizzie commented.

Caroline nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that is just ridiculous. No way would I willingly get cake all over my hair. I have a strict regimen to keep these locks looking fabulous.", she joked, with a flip of her hair over her shoulder.

The mood changed a little when Lizzie said, "You know, Caroline, what you said to me didn't really bother me. I knew you were just jealous. And I also had Will to back me up, so you didn't hurt my feelings. What really got to me was when Aunt Catherine said all those horrible things about me... I was so scared that I would be a reason for William breaking his relationship with her."

"I am so sorry, Lizzie. _Really._ If I could go back and stop myself from being so stupid, I would."

"And then what you did with Bing and Jane in addition to the way you insulted my family…"

"I know! I beat myself up about it all the time. I guess I just didn't want anybody to take my brother away. And I knew that the only way Bing would seriously consider leaving Jane would be if Darcy corroborated my story. And he would never lie, so I had to make it look like Jane was interested in another man... I am repulsed by the things I did. I explained everything to them and they forgave me, like the saints they are. And the next time I see Charlotte and Lydia, I will apologize. And your parents... I never gave them a chance, so next time I will be on my best behavior."

"We forgive you, too, Caroline. William and I just want to move forward. I'm glad you're putting in the effort to mend things. We're family now, so we should leave the past behind for everyone's sakes… now let's go see what Will and Aaron are up to. This movie is ridiculous."

Caroline agreed and felt like the burden of guilt she'd been carrying around got a lot lighter.

* * *

Lizzie and Caroline headed outside and spotted Darcy and Aaron racing around the track. They were seeing who could run a mile the fastest. Aaron had just beat Darcy because the girls could see him fist-pumping. They decided now was the time to make themselves visible, so they walked over to the track.

"Awww, honey, did you lose?", Lizzie teased Darcy as she approached him.

"Yes. Yes, I did.", Darcy said as he caught his breath.

"Don't be too hard on him, Elizabeth. I was bound to win. Darcy works out to relieve stress and to stay healthy. I work out because if I don't, I won't get booked.", Aaron said, trying to save face for Darcy.

Caroline was quiet. She was staring at the shirtless model.

Lizzie gave Darcy a kiss on the lips and said, "Better luck next time."

"I want a rematch.", demanded Darcy with a laugh.

"Yeah, definitely, whenever. I'm down!", agreed Aaron.

"You sure about that?", Lizzie said eyeing both Darcy and Aaron. Aaron definitely had Darcy beat in the muscle department.

"Yes, I am sure! Have you no faith in me?", Darcy said before picking Lizzie up and running around with her.

"William Darcy! Stop it! _Put me down_!", Lizzie demanded between giggles.

Aaron and Caroline stood there watching the scene and Aaron said, "I can't believe this is happening. Is it weird that I barely know them yet love them together?"

Caroline replied, "Not at all. Watching them actually makes me really happy and it gives me hope."

"Hope for what?"

"That one day I'll be just as happy as them. That I'll find someone to share my life with."

"Wait, you're single?", Aaron asked.

"Yeah, sadly. I hooked up with some guy a few weeks ago but he had no substance. Models are the worst.", she replied. And then she remembered he was a model and she added quickly, "Sorry! I didn't mean to offend you!"

Aaron just laughed at her and suggested, "Well, how about I show you not all models lack substance. Next time I'm in LA or you're in San Francisco, maybe we could do something."

"You're not gay?", Caroline asked with surprise.

"No.", he replied amused. "One of my brothers is, though. But I like women... More specifically, I like you. So what do you say?"

"Umm sure! Let's exchange numbers.", she said with a smile as she retrieved her iPhone.

"You have a cute smile, Caroline.", he said as he put his number in her phone.

She blushed a little and tucked some hair behind her ear.

When Darcy finally set Lizzie down on the ground and the two made their way back to Aaron and Caroline, the exchange had been completed.

* * *

Caroline and Aaron enjoyed a few more hours with Lizzie and Darcy but then Caroline said she had to go check in to her hotel room before they gave it to someone else. Aaron immediately volunteered to take her and she accepted.

"Hold on! Before I go, let's tweet a picture together. I'm sure Jane and Bing would be happy to see that we hung out.", Caroline suggested.

"Great idea.", Lizzie agreed.

They took a picture on Lizzie's phone and one on Caroline's. Both posted their pictures and were bombarded with messages asking if Caroline was forgiven about Bing and Jane. Also, Lizzie's bump showed in the picture and people were estimating how far along she was and giving their opinion about the baby's gender.

Lizzie tweeted, _" that_caroline is family! Also, there will be a video uploaded on Monday. Don't worry!"_

"Bye, Caroline. I'm glad you showed up today.", Lizzie said after hugging Caroline.

"So am I. Thank you, Lizzie. Thank you, Darcy. Byee."

The couple watched as Aaron and Caroline drove away.

"It was a successful day today, baby.", Lizzie said as she settled into her assemblage of pillows.

"I concur. You got the footage you needed, Caroline is back in our good graces, and I will admit that I am no longer adverse to you spending so much time with Aaron.", said as he left the bathroom.

"Good; I really like him. He's awesome.", Lizzie said sleepily.

Darcy leaned over Lizzie's pillows and kissed her belly goodnight and then her lips.

"Mmm. What was that for?", Lizzie asked with her eyes shut.

"I can't have you thinking of another man as you drift off to sleep.", Darcy replied as he turned off the lamp.

Lizzie would've rolled her eyes had they been open. She felt around blindly for Darcy's hand and when she found it, she held onto it and mumbled, "G'night, William. Love you…"

"I love you, too, Lizzie. Get some rest."

* * *

**Next chapter brings some trouble...**

 


	27. Nasty Attitude

Lizzie set up the camera and then hit the record button.

"Will! Come here please! I'm shooting the update video for the viewers!", Lizzie called out to Darcy.

She turned to the camera and said, "Hey, guys! It's been a few weeks since I've updated you on what's been going on. As you can see, this video has a new background."

She gestured around her. "I'm in the living room of my new home! I have _officially_ moved in with William! My license even says so… But you all don't care about us anymore, do you? Everything is about the baby now, huh? The baby _this_ , the baby _that_! Well fine, I'll give you some details about our child.", she said with a smile.

"My name is Lizzie Bennet, and let me formally introduce you all to-"

"I am here, Lizzie.", Darcy interrupted.

*Cue theme music*

"Just in time, babe. I was just about to introduce the viewers to Little Bowtie.", she mentioned as she grabbed Darcy's hand and pulled him down onto the couch.

"Yes, Little Bowtie.", he said with a smile. "We have decided to keep the gender to ourselves until after the baby is born."

"Mmhmm! We already know what it's going to be and we have a name picked out already, but a viewer suggested the nickname to us and we thought it suited us perfectly.", she said with a twinkle in her eye. She knew Aaron was going to be watching and the little shout-out would make him very happy.

"And bowties are cool.", Darcy added, trying to be funny.

"Gosh, Will, you are so lame.", Lizzie teased.

"You fell in love with me, though, so…"

"Anywayyy…", Lizzie said with a chuckle, "By the time this video is uploaded, I will be 20 weeks pregnant! Crazy, right? I'm only halfway there and I'm already over it. I've been so moody lately and uncomfortable and _difficult_. My boyfriend deserves all the awards! He's been very supportive and he's put up with my crazy sleeping arrangements. A round of applause for William Darcy, everyone."

Darcy smiled and put his head down in embarrassment. It was only him and Lizzie in the whole house, but he could feel the tens of thousands of eyes that would be on him when they watched the video.

"Now, now, Lizzie. I don't deserve all the recognition. _You_ are the one that is doing all the hard work. You are the one worthy of praise. You are doing a fantastic job carrying Little Bowtie and I know that when that baby joins us out here, you will be an amazing mother.", he professed before kissing her hand.

"Awwww, Will.", she replied with a big smile. Lizzie gave Darcy a kiss on the cheek. "See what I mean, guys? He's too good to me."

"You, Lizzie Bennet, deserve nothing but the best. I think we will probably be old and gray by the time I get you to understand that.", Darcy stated.

Lizzie smiled at his use of 'old and gray'. It felt simultaneously daunting and comforting to know that she found the person who she was going to spend the rest of her life with. "Before we get off track, let me finish giving you guys the goods! I'm due in early November, so Little Bowtie will be here before the holiday season!"

Darcy made a pondering expression before asking, "Are you going to dress up for Halloween this year? You didn't last year at Collins&Collins."

"I don't know, Will. I'll be about to pop! Maybe. What do the viewers think? What could I be for Halloween? It's a little early to start thinking about it, considering we're in June… but why the hell not? Comment below with your ideas for my pregnant Halloween costume."

"Do you remember Halloween last year?", Darcy asked with a frown.

"I don't think I'll ever forget it. The day that you declared your love for me and I turned you down and then proceeded to upload it to the internet..." Lizzie grimaced. "That was _baaaad_. Let's not go back there. We got together in the end, didn't we? That's all that matters."

"Agreed… Did you tell them about the progress on your project?"

"Nope. Thanks for reminding me, Will. I've got footage and an awesome person to help me, so my pilot episode for my new project will be up this weekend! Subscribe to the channel _Lizzie B.'s Costume Party_! Links are in the description!"

"Yes, please subscribe. Lizzie has put a lot of effort into it…"

"Truer words have never been spoken."

"I think we're done here, my love."

"Yeah. We've told them all the important stuff… Oh wait, belly shot!"

Lizzie got up from the couch and turned to the side to make the bump more visible.

"Bye!", Lizzie said, her head still out of frame.

Darcy just waved.

After shutting off the camera, Lizzie bent down to give Darcy a proper kiss and said, "Thank you for joining me in the video."

He got up and replied, "You are very welcome. I'm going to get back to my office now. I have an important meeting in a few days and need to prepare."

* * *

The next day, Lizzie uploaded the video and along with the expected burst of comments and tweets from fans, she received a few Domino phone calls throughout the day from Charlotte and her parents and Lydia.

While Lizzie was selecting props to use for her costume theater version of one of the interviews, Charlotte called to suggest that Lizzie and Darcy dress up as ketchup and mustard like she and Ricky did the year before.

"Uhh, no way.", Lizzie said laughing.

"I was kidding, bestie. What I really called for was to ask what is up with that picture you tweeted on Saturday? You and _Caroline_? Really?"

Lizzie filled Charlotte in on Caroline's apology and then promised to send the footage from Caroline's story.

Her family back home all saw the new video and her mother was itching to call Lizzie and tell her off for rejecting Darcy the first time around. Mrs. Bennet hadn't been informed that Darcy had asked Lizzie out before. Lydia intervened when her father was going to click on the infamous video.

"Darcy wasn't very nice back then. It's better if we don't watch it, dad. Like, _seriously._ ", she whispered to her father.

"Oh.", was all Mr. Bennet said. Lydia's tone said it all.

Mr. Bennet lied to his wife and told her Lizzie had removed the video, but when he dialed Lizzie and her face showed up on his cell phone, the first thing Lizzie heard was:

"Are you kiddin' me?! Elizabeth Bennet, I can't believe you! Oh my poor nerves! He almost slipped away!"

Lizzie and Darcy had just eaten and were cuddled up on a bench outside reading baby facts in honor of the 20 weeks, when her family called.

"I do not think it is wise to yell at your daughter, Francine.", Darcy interrupted. "I am just reading here that Isabella can hear us now."

Lizzie laughed, "Yeah, mom. You don't want your _first grandbaby_ to be scared of you."

Mrs. Bennet calmed down at once.

They spent a long time after the phone call talking to their unborn daughter and telling her that they couldn't wait to meet her. Little Isabella didn't understand a word. She just knew that the two voices she heard made her feel good; so good that she wanted to move around. She wasn't ready yet, though.

* * *

Darcy had a really rough day at work the next day. His meeting with an important foreign investor didn't go particularly well, even though he had worked really hard on his presentation. That failure could result in a major financial hit to Pemberley Digital. He hadn't failed so considerably at anything since he was rejected by Lizzie. He took those sour feelings home with him.

He was silent at dinner and didn't spend time with Lizzie afterwards like he usually did. He was in his office until pretty late, trying to work on a better proposition. Even as he and Lizzie got ready for bed, Darcy was still really bothered. Lizzie had tried her best to soothe him with words of encouragement, but to no avail.

"Sit down, Will.", she ordered Darcy as he angrily fluffed a pillow. He sat on the edge of the bed.

She grabbed his face in her hands and said, "I know what happened today was terrible, but you can't let it get you down. You have to go in to work tomorrow and show your employees that it isn't the end of the world. Your company is popular. The idiot that backed out will be wishing he didn't soon enough."

"But I am still frustrated. I know I can't go to work tomorrow with a bad attitude but I can't help it right now.", he said angrily. "I am so sorry you have to see me like this, Lizzie. I have improved myself in many ways, but dealing with a failure of this magnitude has proved rather difficult."

"Then how about we get your mind off of it for a little while?", Lizzie asked sweetly before sitting on his lap and putting her arms around his neck. "What do you say?"

She kissed him tenderly and he quickly responded with vigor. His mind was no longer back at Pemberley. His thoughts were now preoccupied with the soft feeling of Lizzie's lips and the warmth of her skin against his.

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy were lost in each other when his phone rang.

"Are you gonna get that?", Lizzie asked between kisses.

"I'd rather not.", he answered before turning his attentions to Lizzie's neck.

"Maybe it has to do with Pemberley…", Lizzie suggested worriedly.

"I will answer, but do not move or it shall be a very entertaining phone call for whoever is on the other end.", he joked.

Lizzie giggled. "I will try my best." She was happy to see his sense of humor had returned.

He picked up the phone and saw the caller ID.

"It is Gigi.", he informed Lizzie.

He grew tense. It was late and Gigi knew he was usually asleep by then, so it must be an emergency.

Lizzie felt anxious. "Calling at this time? I hope everything's okay..."

Darcy answered and put the phone on speaker.

"Hey, big brotherrr!", Gigi said with a bit of a slur.

"Gigi, is everything alright?!", he asked with concern.

"Yeah. I'm calling because I just saw Lizzie's video! I was superrr busy yesterday and today and I missed it. She's getting soooo big! My niece is going to be awesome! Lizzie should totally go zombie this year for Halloween. With fake baby doll arms glued to her belly and fake blooood-", she said really quickly.

"Damn it, Georgiana!", he said interrupted sternly. Darcy became very annoyed. He didn't want to think about blood and zombies right now. He had every intention of resuming his coital activities and focusing on those things would undoubtedly kill the mood.

"Gosh, brro. I'm sorry I called, I was just-"

"Do you know what time it is… and are you _drunk?!_ ", he asked angrily. His feelings about the investor were seeping into this conversation with Gigi. He wanted to take his frustration out on something and his sister became the unlucky target.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorrrry, William! I lost track of timee. I was at my neww friend Clara's housee and she was having problems with this guyy she likes and-"

"Baby, stop overreacting. Don't get mad at Gigi! It's a simple mistake. And she's 21 years old, she is allowed to drink. Need I remind you of how our daughter came to be?", said Lizzie, trying to calm him down.

"Were you sleeping? I didn't mean to wake you.", asked Gigi.

"No, we weren't sleeping, we were- nevermind. You know not to call me so late and especially not when you are drunk! Is that what you're doing in Sanditon? Drinking? You're supposed to be promoting and beta-testing Domino!"

"Will!", Lizzie interjected.

"No, bro! We got a little carried away. I'm sorry-", Gigi tried apologizing again.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack calling so late. Am I going to have to pull you off the Domino team?!", he threatened.

"William get off of me.", Lizzie said firmly.

"What?", he asked, baffled.

"Get off. _Now_.", Lizzie demanded.

"Uhh… what's going on?", asked Gigi.

Darcy did as told.

She hurried off the bed and started putting on her clothes.

"What are you doing?", he asked.

"Good night, Gigi. You can hang up now. Get some sleep! I'll call you tomorrow, okay?", Lizzie said loudly so Gigi could hear. She grabbed a few pillows.

"Okay, bye… Sorry!", Gigi said before hanging up.

"Lizzie?"

"There was no need for you to take your rage out on Gigi! If she would've called any other day, you wouldn't have blown up like that! You need to deal with your anger by yourself. You lost an investor. _Big freakin' deal!_ I'm going to go sleep in my old room. I'm _pregnant_ , William! I don't need to be around your nasty attitude right now!"

Darcy could not believe this was happening right now. He rubbed his temples as he bitterly replied, "You do not understand! Wait until you have to deal with the financial responsibilities of a owning a company!"

She was already out the door when she yelled, "Douchebag!"

"Lizzie!", Darcy called out. She didn't respond and he punched the bed in anger.

Neither one slept well. They each missed the presence of the other and were left unsatisfied from their unfinished activities.

Darcy got up as soon as he saw a dim sliver of sunlight peek through the curtain. He was so worked up, he ran for over an hour that morning.

* * *

Lizzie had a really uncomfortable night and was not in a very good mood. She ate breakfast alone in the kitchen and drank out of the special mug Darcy made for her in spite of her anger at him. She opened the dishwasher to put away her dishes and saw that Darcy had also used the mug she made him. As she put her mug in, she read the note he painted on hers.

_"I love you, Lizzie._

_Just a reminder._

_-William"_

She was unable to stop the brief feeling of butterflies when she read it.

 _"I know you do, Will. But no! He can't just lash out at people like that."_ , she reminded herself of why she was mad in the first place.

Lizzie was on her way out the front door when Darcy stopped her.

"Lizzie... about last night…"

"It's not _me_ you should be apologizing to, _Darcy_."

Ouch; that stung. "Elizabeth, come on. I am sorry, okay? I left Gigi an apology text and I will call her later on to make sure she is fine. I let my frustration get the best of me last night…"

"Damn right you did! What the hell, William? If that's how you're gonna get whenever things don't go your way, I think we need to rethink some things."

"Hold on, Lizzie! Why are you so quick to try to leave? Let us discuss this. I got carried away, I admit it. But you have to understand my point of view. It is not as if I spilled coffee on my favorite shirt or something as trivial as that! A very prestigious foreign company wants to break ties with Pemberley and that could have very negative consequences for my company and its employees. I apologize for my behavior last night. It was uncalled for and I will endeavor to keep it from happening again."

"Good. Now look, I don't feel too great right now. I've gotta go catch my bus so I can make it to my office on time to meet Aaron. We've got to get all the costume theater recorded and edited by the weekend, remember? So if we're done talking, I'd like to leave. I accept your apology. I don't wanna fight. I'll see you at dinner."

"Wait, Lizzie, I have something to show you."

"What is it?"

"Come with me.", he said as he held out his hand.

"Will, I don't have time for this…"

"Please?"

Lizzie sighed exaggeratedly but grabbed his hand and let him lead her.

 


	28. Flowers and Chocolate

**So Lizzie and Darcy make up and stuff.**

* * *

Darcy led Lizzie to the garage and opened the door for her.

"Whoa.", she said when she saw a fancy, new car with a big red bow on it parked right in front of her.

"Do you like it?"

"What is _that_?"

" _That_ is your new car.", he stated, pleased with himself. _"Surely_ this _will brighten her mood."_

Lizzie's eyebrows shot up. "Oh. _My new car?_ I wasn't aware I had bought one."

"You didn't. I did. For you… Do you like it?"

"Is it because of last night? I can't accept it.", she stated defensively.

Her mind was already accusing Darcy of trying to bribe her forgiveness with a car and how insulting that was, when he replied, "No, last night had nothing to do with it. Well, I _did_ decide to present it to you _today_ because of what occurred, but I had already purchased this vehicle weeks ago. I remember you saying that you missed driving when we spent that week at your parent's house. And frankly, I do not like that you take the bus. You refuse to make use of a driver and I thought this would be better."

Lizzie sighed and then was filled with guilt. _"He just thinks he's being thoughtful! And look at me, accusing him of trying to woo me with money, when I know he knows that would never work on me. Assuming the worst about Will's actions is something the old Lizzie would've done... What the hell is wrong with me?"_

She realized that she wasn't really angry at Darcy; she was angry with herself. In the back of her mind, she knew that she, too, had overreacted last night, but she didn't want to admit it to herself. She was having a hard time dealing with the lack of control over her emotions. For a while, she'd be normal and then something would make her cry. She'd be happy and then go on a rampage about the littlest thing. And Darcy always put up with it with no backlash. She didn't want to admit to herself that she was, yet again, the bad guy in the scenario; she wanted to feel like she had a reason to be mad at him. But she didn't really. She couldn't be bothered with him for thinking of her. She was, however, annoyed with him for buying her the car in the first place, which in turn made her angrier at herself because she should've listened to her dad and talked to Darcy about his expensive gifts weeks ago. Had she taken her father's advice, Darcy wouldn't have bought her that car.

"I'm glad it's not an apology car, Will… but I still can't accept it.", she said calmly.

"Lizzie, I really _am_ sorry about how I behaved-", he said. This was not working out like he'd hoped.

"No, no! It's not that… And I should be apologizing for my behavior, too. I overreacted; _big time_. I hate to use this excuse _again_ , but I blame my hormones. Rational Lizzie would not have stormed out on you for losing your temper. I would've talked it out with you, not left you alone… but the reason I don't want this car is because I want to buy my first car _myself_."

"Oh… not a problem. I will have it returned immediately.", he decided. He couldn't help but be a little disappointed. He put a lot of thought into the selection of this car.

"I appreciate it the sentiment, though! I get that you like to give me nice things to show me you care but to be honest, I don't feel right when you buy me crazy-expensive stuff."

"Why not? Lizzie, I know that you love _me_ for _me._ I do not feel as if I am buying your affection and you shouldn't either."

"Flowers and chocolates are more my kind of thing; not diamonds and _cars_ …"

"But you are worthy of the best things life has to offer. Luckily, I am in a position where I am able to give you the best. Why must I limit myself to mere flowers and chocolate?", he inquired. He had noticed before that Lizzie would shy away from gifts or turn down his offer to get her things. It bothered him that she didn't want anything from him. He wanted to know why, once and for all.

"Because that's what I _like_. I'm simple like that. And just because you _can_ , doesn't mean you _should_... Look, I just graduated from grad school. I'm setting up my own company and doing this show in the hopes that I will be successful based on _my own_ merit and hard work. I want to _grow_. I want to be able to buy _you_ stuff and pick up the tab when we go out. I want to do things for _myself_. I want to be _independent_." Then she added with a chuckle, "Well, as independent as I _can be_ considering I'm living with you rent-free and eating all the food."

"To be fair, I did impregnate you. It is the least I could do.", he said jokingly. The mood was no longer tense. "So you really feel like I am undermining your independence? Lizzie, I would never-"

"I know you wouldn't do it on purpose! And I know it sounds a little nuts, but that's how I feel; Like everything is too easy and I haven't earned it. Obviously, you have good intentions when you get me stuff... but until I feel like I've achieved what I want career-wise, I'm always gonna have this unease when you splurge on me. However, if I ever _do_ need anything, I will tell you. I _know_ you're loaded, you don't have to remind me every two seconds.", she said with a smile. She wanted to stress her point without coming across as rude.

Darcy had no idea that his gifts were being perceived negatively. "Alright... I will refrain from purchasing lavish gifts for you. I will stick to flowers and chocolates. But do you really not agree that it would be more convenient for you to have your own car?"

"Like I said, I enjoy the bus rides. If I truly had to get somewhere quickly, I'd take a cab or ask for your driver. Don't assume I need something just because _you_ feel I need it. I know we're in a relationship, but it doesn't mean you can make my decisions _for_ me. We should make them together. Again, I know your intentions are good, but just give me a heads up with stuff like _this_.", she pointed at the car.

Darcy sighed in defeat. "Fair enough. And very well, Miss Bennet. Public transportation it is."

"Mmhmm! Speaking of which, I'm going to miss my bus if I don't hurry…"

"I can drop you off at the office if you'd like."

"Thanks for offering, but no thanks. You can drop me off at the bus stop, though!"

"It would be my pleasure."

The two minute ride to the bus stop was filled with valuable information for Lizzie.

"How are you not mad at me, Will? For, ya know, just leaving you hanging last night?", Lizzie asked out of curiosity. The level of restraint this guy had was impressive.

"I _was_ perturbed when you left. It was so sudden and I didn't exactly know how to react. One minute we were having a very pleasurable time and the next minute you were storming out of the room. I was angry that you didn't understand how important that meeting was to me and the company, but then I thought about how you tried to appease me earlier and how unfairly I lashed out at Gigi. I realized that you were not wrong and I used that alone time to reflect. I also ran this morning and I used that time to think as well. I was not sure if you were still going to be bothered with me, so I called the car dealership and requested that they bring the car over as a peace offering of sorts."

"I'm sorry... I'm not making your life any easier, am I?", Lizzie lamented.

"Not at all. Our relationship has been anything but easy.", he said with a smile as he stopped in front of the bus stop. "But my quality of life has improved immensely. I now have an intelligent, beautiful, _independent_ woman to spend the rest of my life with. And to top it all off, she's going to bring another intelligent, beautiful, independent woman into our lives soon."

"You're so sweet, babe!", Lizzie said. He always knew just what to say.

Lizzie removed her seat belt and leaned over to give Darcy an appreciative smooch. "Thanks for the ride. I'll text you when I get to my office… and I hope you have a wonderful day at work. Call me if you need to talk about anything…", she said as she got out of the car. She was referring to anything investor-related.

Darcy nodded and said, "I love you."

"I love you, too.", she echoed with a smile. She was happy that everything was alright between them now. They survived their first legitimate argument.

As Darcy drove away, he couldn't believe that he was letting his pregnant girlfriend take the bus to work. He shook his head at the thought and scolded himself. _"She is my partner, not my possession. I do not_ allow _Lizzie do anything."_

Lizzie watched Darcy drive off and she was filled with adoration for her boyfriend. _"So considerate and caring and sweet… and I treated him like crap last night… I gotta make it up to him."_

* * *

Lizzie got home and went straight toward the kitchen. She had called the house earlier to let the cook know that her services weren't going to be needed tonight; that _she_ was going to cook dinner. She was going to make a very yummy looking casserole that she discovered on the internet on the commute to her office. Despite the fact that Lizzie rarely ever felt the urge to slave over a hot stove, she was a surprisingly good cook. Well, maybe not surprisingly; she _is_ Francine Bennet's daughter, after all.

Lizzie put the casserole in the oven and was going to start on the salad, when she decided to make her own bread rolls. She was suddenly craving hot, fluffy bread but had never made it before, so she brought her laptop to the kitchen and looked up a video online. She made a bit of a mess with the flour and ended up with some on her face.

Darcy arrived earlier than usual, which meant Lizzie was not expecting him so soon. She hadn't yet cleaned up her mess and was fixing the salad while she waited for the casserole and the bread to bake, when Darcy spotted her. He lurked behind a corner so he wouldn't be seen and watched as Lizzie chopped up tomatoes and lettuce. He grinned like a mad man. It gave him so much pleasure to see Lizzie cooking in their kitchen. Not because he was some sexist who thought women belonged in the kitchen, but because she looked so comfortable. Like the queen of their castle. Not to mention the fact that he thought Lizzie looked adorable in an apron.

He waited until Lizzie turned around to put the finished salad in the fridge to make his presence known. He held a bouquet of flowers and a large box of Ghirardelli chocolate in his hands, but he put them down on a nearby counter before making his way behind her. He bent down to wrap his arms around her middle, which elicited an "Oh!", and gave her a kiss on the cheek before resting his chin on her shoulder.

Lizzie was surprised but welcomed the embrace. "Mmmm. This is nice.", she commented as she leaned into his hug.

"Yes, quite nice.", he agreed as he guided her to the counter with the gifts. "These are for you."

She laughed. "Flowers and chocolates?"

"Well, you did say you were a flowers and chocolate kind of girl.", he said with a smirk.

"You didn't have to literally buy them for me but thank you! The flowers are beautiful and I will devour the chocolate after we eat the delicious meal I'm working on just for you. Everything should be ready soon.", she replied with a smile.

"Great, because I am famished. I didn't get a chance to eat lunch because I was surprised with a video conference with the investor from yesterday."

"Really?! I'm assuming everything went well..."

"Oh, yes. But we shall discuss that later. Let us dine first."

Darcy let her go so she could put the flowers in a vase. While at the sink filling it with water, she asked, "How did you know I love lilies? I don't think we've ever discussed our favorite flowers."

"I asked Lydia.", he answered nonchalantly.

Lizzie smiled at that response. She loved that he and her family were comfortable enough to just randomly call each other up and talk.

"I know just where to put these.", Lizzie stated before exiting the kitchen. She placed the flowers on a table in the living room.

When she returned to the kitchen, Darcy snickered.

"What's so funny?"

"Did you know that you have the ability to look absolutely beautiful in anything you wear?"

"Where's that coming from?"

"You have a bit of flour on your face, baby.", he informed her while trying to keep from laughing.

"Really? And you wait until now to tell me?", she said, a little embarrassed. She wet a paper towel and was about to start wiping her face when Darcy interrupted.

"Allow me. Close your eyes so I don't get flour in them."

He gently wiped her forehead and nose, laying a kiss on each after they were free from flour. He also placed a kiss on Lizzie's lips, which led to another and another. Darcy moved Lizzie toward the counters and lifted her up onto one without breaking their kiss. Lizzie wrapped her legs around him instinctively and they remained like that for several minutes.

One of the cleaning ladies was leaving and happened to walk by. She couldn't help but be amused at seeing Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth making out like the love-struck youths they were. Lizzie had brought so much joy into that sad man's life. And every time she saw Lizzie's bump, she would start to imagine all the liveliness that that new little life would bring into this house. She sighed quietly and went on her way.

The smell of the bread permeated Lizzie's nose and she abandoned Darcy's lips. "Will, I need to check the oven!"

Darcy reluctantly stepped back and set Lizzie on the ground.

"Yes! The food is ready!", Lizzie said excitedly. She couldn't wait to start eating. "Hey, Will, can you set the table while I get these ready to serve?"

"Gladly."

* * *

They sat down to eat and enjoyed their meal. Lizzie wanted to cry when she took a bite of the bread because it was heavenly. Nothing could compare to the feeling of finally being able to eat something she was craving.

"I think I'm going to call Francine and rave about this meal. I'm sure she'll be pleased that you picked up a thing or two from her.", Darcy declared after stuffing himself.

"I'm glad you liked it!", Lizzie said. She got up to start picking up plates, but Darcy stopped her.

"You cooked, I'll clean.", he said as he brought the dishes to the kitchen.

"Alright. While you clean up, tell me about your day.", Lizzie suggested as she leaned on the counter. "So this conference with the investor went well?", Lizzie asked. She was glad everything had worked out for him.

"Yes, very well indeed. But there is a slight inconvenience… I wanted to tell you in person... He wants me to travel to his country to discuss business face-to-face."

"Really?" Lizzie was not expecting that at all.

"I have to go to Japan this weekend. I leave Friday morning and I'll be back Monday morning."

"Japan?! Wow!"

"I know it is short notice… you are welcome to accompany me, Lizzie. I do not look forward to being so far away from you and our baby girl."

"No, I can't go. The pilot episode of my show premieres this weekend and I have to finish everything..."

"I predicted that would be your response, but I had to try anyway… Are you upset?"

"No, this is just part of your job. I completely understand. I'm not happy about it, but what can we do?"

"I am not happy about it either. To be parted from you, even for a few days, shall be a challenge. But this man is really important.", he confessed.

"Friday morning, huh?". Lizzie sighed. Not a very long time, considering it was Wednesday night. "Let's make the best of the limited time we have."

She watched him load up the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and wipe down the counters. She loved how even with these insignificant tasks he took his time and was careful. He bent down to put away the cleaning supplies under the sink, while Lizzie eyed him up and down. _"My boyfriend has a cute butt_.", she thought to herself mischievously. _  
_

"All done.", Darcy declared when the kitchen looked orderly again.

"Have I ever told you that I like your ass, babe?", she asked as she walked toward him.

Darcy chuckled, "Yes."

Lizzie hugged his torso and slipped her hands down to his butt.

"How about continue where we left off yesterday?", she asked as she felt him up.

Darcy frowned because when he thought of last night, he recalled their argument. But then he realized what she meant and said " _Oh._ "

"Let's go upstairs...", Lizzie said as she led him towards the staircase with his tie.

Darcy followed her lead enthusiastically and when they reached the stairs, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, causing her to giggle. He grabbed Lizzie's butt as he walked and said, "I like your ass, too, Lizzie.", which caused more giggling.

Thursday evening, the night before Darcy's departure, Lizzie and Darcy didn't spend one moment apart. Darcy left work early and picked Lizzie up at her office. They dined together outside and watched the sun set. They showered together and Darcy helped Lizzie detangle her hair after she washed it. He even braided it for her so she wouldn't wake up with frizzy hair. Then, they stayed in their bed for the whole night. They each did their own thing- Darcy worked on his laptop and Lizzie leaned her head against his shoulder as she read a book- but they did them together.

When the time to sleep arrived, Lizzie got rid of all the extra pillows and slept with her arms around her man. She wanted to commit his breathing, his warmth, and his loving embrace to memory so that she could fall asleep without him by her side until he returned.

* * *

**I wanted some conflict between Lizzie and Darcy and went a little overboard last chapter, amiright? Lol. *Cringing*  
**

**But I think I redeemed myself with this chapter. :)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	29. Welcome Home, Will

**This chapter has a lot of different stuff going on. I probably could've split it into two chapters, but I just wanted to get all this filler stuff out of the way.  
**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Friday morning, Lizzie and Darcy got ready to go. Darcy's driver was going to take them to the airport and then drop Lizzie off at her office. But before getting out of bed, the couple just laid there quietly kissing and snuggling. Lizzie's braid came undone overnight and she teased Darcy about his lack of skills in hair-braiding. She said he'd have to practice so he would be able to do his daughter's hair one day. This was one of those moments when Darcy wished he wasn't a CEO. He felt so peaceful with his head in Lizzie's lap while she massaged his scalp and poked fun at him.

After Darcy checked in at the airport, he said, "When I get to my hotel room, I will call you, okay? Will you wait up for me?"

"Of course! My phone is going to be glued to my hand tonight."

Darcy chuckled and then sighed. "I am going to be thinking of you the whole flight. Whenever I grow tired of my laptop or the in-flight entertainment, I shall go through the pictures on my phone."

"Hey! Some of those pictures are for your eyes only!", she whispered.

"I know, my love. I shall be very careful."

Lizzie wanted to smile, but instead she started crying.

"No, Lizzie… Don't do this to me… Please do not cry.", Darcy begged tenderly as he wiped tears from her face.

"I know you're only gonna be gone a few days, but you're gonna be so far away… I'm gonna miss you, babe.", she said sniffling.

"I will miss you, too. You and our little one.", Darcy said rubbing Lizzie's belly. He bent down and gave it a kiss.

Lizzie gasped.

"What's wrong?", Darcy asked with concern.

A tear trickled down Lizzie's face, but this time she was smiling. "Nothing! It's just, I guess Izzy wanted to say goodbye, too… I'm pretty sure I just felt her kick! Like, right after you kissed her. It is the most bizarre feeling."

Darcy's eyes watered. Oh how he hated having to leave them. He blinked away the impending tears.

"Izzy?"

Lizzie shrugged and said, "It rhymes with Lizzie."

Darcy laughed. He couldn't believe how cute his girlfriend was.

"Isabella Anne Darcy Bennet, you better not give your mother a hard time in my absence.", he fake-scolded the belly.

Lizzie giggled and said, "Yeah, Izzy, listen to your daddy!"

They laughed some more, but they were just finding ways to postpone the inevitable.

"I have to get in line for security…"

"I know…"

Darcy hugged Lizzie really tight and then she tiptoed and gave him a kiss that almost made him skip the trip, consequences be damned.

When they broke away, Lizzie wiped her tears and then smiled. "Good luck on your trip. I love you, William."

"And I love you. I will be back before you know it."

He grabbed Lizzie's hand, kissed it, and then walked toward the line for security.

Lizzie waited until she could no longer see him before leaving.

On the way to her office, she cheered herself with up the fact that the weekend would fly by. Today she and Aaron would put the finishing touches on the episode, tomorrow they would upload it, and then Sunday she would spend her time going through all the feedback.

In the meantime, however, she was going to let everyone know about Isabella's kick.

* * *

She and Aaron left the office well after dark, so he dropped her off.

"Good night, Elizabeth. I'll see you on Sunday!", he said before she got out of his car.

"Looking forward to it!", she replied. She and Aaron were going to check the comments and reviews together at her house.

Lizzie dined alone and then hung out in the living room watching an interesting documentary on banned books. She would occasionally glimpse over at the lilies Darcy brought home the other night and miss him.

She decided to call Charlotte instead of moping around. Apparently, Ricky Collins was going back to Winnipeg, Manitoba to lead the first Canadian branch of Collins&Collins, which meant Charlotte would be the new head honcho.

Lizzie was thrilled for her best friend's promotion. "You work hard, Char! It's about time they- there she goes again! I feel her kicking! It's so weird, Char!"

Around 8:30pm, Lizzie received a text from Darcy.

_Will: Just landed. Customs and travel to hotel will take a while._

_Lizzie: I'll wait. Glad you landed safely, babe!_

_Will: Love you._

_Lizzie: Love you, too. Hurry!_

_Will: ;)_

It was almost two hours later when he finally called. She accepted the video chat invitation immediately.

"Will!", she said, beaming.

"Hello, my love."

"I'm so glad you're safe and sound! How was your flight?"

"I could not manage being on a plane for over 10 hours so about half-way through, I ordered a couple drinks and fell asleep."

Lizzie laughed at him. "Are you tired? You look tired.", she noticed.

"I am, actually. But here in Japan, it is a sunny Saturday afternoon. I am going to try to stay awake as long as possible so that I won't wake up extremely early. I need to look presentable for that meeting tomorrow. He doesn't usually do business on Sundays and he's making an exception for me.

"Awww, my poor baby. I wish I could give you a hug.", Lizzie said sadly.

"I wish you were here with me.", he confessed.

They both sighed.

"How was your day, my darling? Is Isabella still kicking?", he tried to change the subject.

"Isabella has been randomly kicking all day. She's probably wondering where her father is. I wish you could feel what it feels like. It kind of tickles."

Darcy chuckled. "That's my girl."

"Oh and Aaron and I finished the episode! I'm going to upload it myself tomorrow. The channel has gotten a lot of subscriptions lately. I hope people like it..."

"They are going to love it. I can't wait to watch it."

"On Sunday, Aaron's coming over so we can comb through the comments and stuff."

"Oh, really? I am gone for the weekend and you are already seeing other men?", he joked.

"Yup. You can't expect me to shrivel up while I wait for you.", she said laughing.

"Well, alright. Give him my regards when you see him."

They continued talking for about an hour about Darcy's flight, and Ricky Collins, and her family's reactions to Izzy's kick. For that hour they forgot they were thousands of miles away from each other. But when it came time for goodbyes, the longing for one another returned with full force.

"Good night, my love. Get some rest. Tomorrow is an important day for the both of us.", said Darcy.

"Text me or call me when you watch the episode! Let me know what you think. And tell me how your meeting went!"

"I will make sure to do so."

"I love you and I'm missing you so much right now... I'm gonna sleep on your side until you come back."

Darcy smiled and said, "Great idea. Keep the bed warm for me... I love you, Lizzie."

Lizzie blew a kiss at him which he caught and held close to his heart. They waved goodbye and then ended the call.

Lizzie set up her pillow collection up on Darcy's side of the bed and concentrated really hard on imagining him there. It was of no use, though. His absence was not without notice. She missed the sound of his light snoring; the way his arms would caress her belly as he fell asleep; or how when she would get up to pee, she had to practically battle with his arms to let her go, but when she returned, they would hold her tight and he would smile briefly in his sleep.

She couldn't believe that just a couple nights ago, she had willingly left his side in a fit of rage. Never again would she take having him by her side for granted. Lizzie eventually found some consolation with his pillow, which still held a faint smell of him.

Darcy tried to keep himself busy with work, but Lizzie would slip into his mind often. Thoughts of her were a welcome distraction, however. When it was time for him to hit the hay, he also had trouble sleeping. He missed the way Lizzie curled up into him; the way their feet would intertwine; the way her hair sometimes tickled his nose. But most of all, he missed the affirmation that her presence provided. Having her in his arms let him know that their relationship was real; that it wasn't all a very long dream.

* * *

On Saturday afternoon, Lizzie held her breath as she clicked the upload button on her computer. But soon enough, the video was finished uploading and _Lizzie's B.'s Costume Party_ was officially online. She tweeted about her video and then shut off her laptop. She wasn't going to go on social media until tomorrow with Aaron.

She had nothing pressing to do for the rest of the day and couldn't help but think that if Darcy were home, they could hang out together. Her lack of friends in San Francisco was never more obvious than now. Lizzie was saved by Fitz, however, who invited her over to hang out with him and Brandon for the day, since he knew Darcy was gone.

Darcy called Lizzie just before she went to bed to tell her the meeting went well and that her episode was great. They talked for a long time again, and their goodbyes weren't any easier than the previous night's.

Sunday afternoon brought Aaron Fields to the Darcy-Bennet home.

"Hi, Aaron! Come on in."

"Hey, Elizabeth. I brought donuts."

"You sure do know the way to a pregnant woman's heart.", Lizzie joked.

They settled down in the living room with their laptops and the donuts.

They were reading aloud their favorite comments and reviews and Lizzie was thrilled at such a positive response.

"Caroline loved the way you did her story, by the way. She said she had always wondered what her costume theater costume would be.", Aaron said randomly. For her Caroline costume, Lizzie borrowed one of Gigi's designer purses and a pair of designer shades and bought a mocha latte with almond milk and no whipped cream. She also ran her hands through her hair often.

"Oh, did she tweet me?"

"No... she texted me.", Aaron admitted.

" _Oh._ You and Caroline, huh? Well tell her I'm glad she liked it, lover boy.", Lizzie teased. Her relationship with Aaron was no longer strictly professional. She considered him a friend.

"Oh, please, Elizabeth. I see the way you glance over at those flowers every few minutes. Was that Darcy's parting gift or something?"

"No, but he did get them for me." She sighed.

"You really miss him, don't you?"

"Yes. I didn't think it would be this bad. The past two nights have sucked.", she said with a pout.

"He'll be back tomorrow, so don't worry."

Lizzie brightened up immediately. "I know.", she grinned.

"You know, Elizabeth, as a fan of your videos, seeing you and Darcy together makes me really happy. I get to see you guys interacting in person and it's unbelievable how perfect you two are for each other. It's a real treat to witness you two in action. And I mean that in the least creepy way possible."

"How sweet, Aaron. Not creepy at all.", she said before turning back to her laptop screen. "Oh my gosh! I guess you won't be the only viewer to see us in person…"

"What do you mean?"

"I just got an email and they're offering us a booth at VidCon for my diaries and for the new show! And Pemberley Digital was offered one, too, for the Domino app! Will just forwarded me the email he received!"

"That's amazing! You're going to get so much more publicity at VidCon. All of the major names in online video content are going to be at that convention."

"You, too, Aaron! You helped make this happen. You have to come with me to promote _Lizzie B.'s Costume Party_."

"Definitely.", he agreed. He genuinely wanted to attend VidCon, but he also wanted to have an excuse to see Caroline again. VidCon's location was only a 40 minute drive from Los Angeles, where Caroline lived, as opposed to the 6 hour drive from San Francisco.

"It takes place on the weekend of July 19. About a month from now.", informed Lizzie.

"Plenty of time to prepare yourself for your fans' reactions when they see you looking all pregnant.", replied Aaron with a laugh.

"You hear that, baby girl? There's gonna be a lot of people excited to see you!", Lizzie said to her belly.

* * *

"You come back tomorrow!", Lizzie screamed excitedly with a grin that could out-grin the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. She and Darcy were having their last video chat before he came back. It was Sunday evening and when Lizzie woke up the following day, she would get ready knowing that she would see her love soon.

"I am aware.", he said with a chuckle.

Lizzie rolled her eyes at him. "So what time does your plane land?"

"10:05 am Pacific time."

"Excellent. I'll have enough time to get beauty sleep so I can look cute for you tomorrow."

"You always look beautiful, Lizzie.", he said honestly.

"Thank you, Will.", she said with a big smile. She was even beginning to blush; the earnestness in his voice caught her off-guard. "… Are you excited for VidCon?!"

"Not particularly. Hundreds of people wanting to meet me is not really something I look forward to. I can deal with large groups of people in a business setting, but an informal 'meet and greet'? I feel anxious just thinking about it…"

"Oh, come on, Will! It won't be so bad. I'll be there with you."

"That is the only reason why I decided to attend. I want to accompany you."

"You'll end up having a great time, you'll see. You know, Aaron said people are going to freak out seeing me pregnant in person."

"Yes. I am sure many of your viewers will be over the moon."

"Oh my gosh, babe, we should match! You wear your newsie-"

"No, Lizzie. Please don't make me do that.", he said, laughing.

"Ugh. Fine. But can you wear-"

"A bowtie? Gladly. They _are_ cool, you know."

Lizzie rolled her eyes again and said, " _So_ lame."

That night Lizzie fell asleep without too much trouble because she knew that when she woke up, it'd be Darcy Day all over again.

* * *

Monday morning at 10:05am, the screen at the airport said the flight from Japan had arrived on time. Lizzie sighed with relief.

She paced around the baggage claim area, waiting for him to appear. She knew she had to wait for him to go through customs, but she couldn't contain her excitement at the fact that he was back in the same place as her. It wasn't so much the length of time that had her going crazy, but the distance. And now, he was back.

She looked at the time. Almost 10:30am.

"Where the hell _is_ he?"

Darcy spotted Lizzie from far away. She stood out with her red hair and pregnant belly. He desperately wanted to run to her, but he contained himself as long as he could.

When he was at a near enough distance, he called out, "Lizzie!"

Lizzie looked around in all directions and when she spotted him she squealed and ran toward him. He gave in and ran to her as well.

When they reunited, he dropped his bag on the floor next to him and grabbed Lizzie's face with both his hands. He looked into her eyes for a few seconds before saying, "Hello."

"Hi!", she replied quickly and then she tiptoed to kiss him. Darcy's hands naturally positioned themselves at her waist, gripping just tight enough to convey how eager he was to have her in his arms again. Lizzie's arms automatically wrapped themselves around his neck to pull him as close to her as was possible, like they always did.

At first it was a happy kiss; an ' _I miss you and I'm so glad you're back'_ kiss. But as the kiss continued, it evolved into a kiss that showcased all the longing and loneliness each felt without the other. It became an _'I miss you and I'm so glad you're back but_ please _don't ever leave my side again if you can help it'_ kind of kiss. They stopped kissing before they gave the people around them more of a show. Had they gone on, that would've turned into a _'We haven't slept in the same bed for three whole nights and we need to fix that_ now _'_ type of kiss. They just hugged each other really tight.

"Welcome back.", Lizzie said into his chest.

"It is great to be back.", Darcy said with a big, goofy smile. Lizzie's passionate kisses always left him feeling giddy.

* * *

Darcy took the day off from work and so did Lizzie.

"Another perk of being our own bosses.", Lizzie replied when Darcy announced his decision.

They were driven back home by Darcy's driver, and both rode in the back seat. They were talking about the flight, and little Belle decided to welcome her father back with a series of light kicks.

"Put your hand right here.", Lizzie instructed.

"I do not feel anything. What is it supposed to feel like?"

"You'll know it when you feel it. It's like something moving underneath."

"I don't understand-", and then he gasped and his expression was priceless. He just experienced his daughter kicking from inside the womb for the first time.

Lizzie laughed at his reaction. "Now imagine feeling that from the inside."

When they arrived at their home, Darcy was welcomed back by the staff. They were all waiting outside for him. They did this every time Darcy went on a trip and he always thought it was a nice gesture.

The couple lunched at home, and then Lizzie suggested, "Let's do something we haven't done before."

"Like what?"

"Let's go to the zoo or something.", she mentioned, saying the first thing that popped into her head.

"I have not been to the zoo since Gigi was a kid. That would be fun."

"Really? Let's go!", Lizzie said while she walked towards the stairs. She had to change into something more comfortable. A tank, some shorts, and some sneakers were a must. Darcy also had to change because a suit is not a very suitable for a summer day at the zoo. He changed into a casual t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Lizzie loved Casual Darcy. It made him look almost normal and not like a man who has too many responsibilities. _"Not to mention he's so handsome!"_ , Lizzie thought excitedly as he stood before her with one hand making a thumbs up, and the other a thumbs down. Lizzie smiled and gave him two thumbs up in approval of his outfit.

When they parked at the zoo, Lizzie and Darcy spent a few minutes in the car bathing each other in sunscreen. She was one of those people that tanned easily… if you considered turning _tomato-red_ tanning. He applied her sunscreen and she applied his. There was lots of tickling and giggling and, unintentionally, the innocent task of putting on sunscreen became a very sensual experience. They didn't do anything R-rated, but just the action of touching and being touched was enough to get them all stirred up.

They enjoyed their 'welcome back' date and stayed at the zoo until closing time. There was plenty of kissing, hand holding, belly rubbing, and pointing at animals. Darcy insisted that if Lizzie wasn't pregnant, he would have had her ride an elephant. She was glad to use baby Isabella as an excuse, because she was terrified to ride that thing. At one point, Lizzie was watching a couple enjoying the zoo with two toddlers and she couldn't help but think of her unborn daughter. Darcy noticed Lizzie staring at them and hugged her from behind, gently rubbing her bump. He kissed her shoulder and said, "That will be us soon enough."

* * *

That night, Lizzie and Darcy had no reason to hold back, so they were finally able to express how much they had missed each other. They each had their other half by their side and felt whole once again. Darcy lay satisfied with his head on Lizzie's bare chest listening to her heart, and one hand on her belly, gently tracing it as he fell asleep.

Lizzie was not exactly wide awake, but she wasn't as close to dreamland as Darcy was.

"Will?"

"Hmm?", he mumbled sleepily.

"I've been thinking…"

"Hmm…"

"I don't wanna be your girlfriend anymore."

He halted his tracing and looked up at Lizzie with a confused expression.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to word it like that. What I meant to say was, I don't like the _title_ of girlfriend anymore. I'm not _just_ your girlfriend. We're beyond that, I think."

"Yes.", he said lying his head back down.

"So what do we call each other? Life partners? Soul mates? Those titles are so… I don't know. How do we introduce each other? I'm tired of saying, 'Hey, this is William Darcy, my boyfriend.'"

"Hello, allow me to introduce you to Elizabeth Bennet, the love of my life; my other half; the mother of my children.", Darcy replied sleepily with a smile.

"Willll. I'm being serious.", she said as she jokingly slapped his back.

"And what makes you believe I am not?"

"That's a mouthful."

"Well then, boyfriend and girlfriend must suffice for now. We know we are more than that and that is what is important."

Lizzie sighed. "When we get engaged, it will be so much easier. Hi, this is my fiancé, William Darcy."

"And when we are finally wed, it will be even easier. Less syllables. Allow me to introduce you to my darling _wife_ , Elizabeth Darcy- or however you choose to be called.", he said with a big smile. He had never said those words aloud but, boy, did they sound amazing to both their ears.

"I haven't decided yet whether I'll take your last name or do the hyphenated thing that's all the rage among celebrities. But that's a conversation for another time."

"Indeed. Now stop talking, Lizzie. It is time to sleep. We both have work tomorrow."

Lizzie sighed in defeat. She motioned for Darcy to get off her chest, so she could get into sleeping mode on her side. Since her back was toward him now, her hair did that thing where it tickled his nose and he smiled as he nuzzled his nose into her neck.

"I love you, Lizzie.", he whispered drowsily.

"I love you, too, Will. Welcome home.", she replied with a yawn.

* * *

**So yeah. Fast forwarding to next month, where our favorite pregnant couple will attend VidCon and meet some fans. I had that idea months ago and finally was able to work it into the story. After that, more fast forwarding to try and get us closer to the due date.**


	30. Lizzie and Darcy Attend VidCon

**Basic recap of the last 29 chapters:**

Darcy fixed things between Bing and Jane. Gigi invited Lizzie to her house. Lizzie was tricked into spending time with Darcy during her stay (watching DVDs together, falling asleep on the couch together, playing tennis). Lizzie was tricked into spending time with Darcy during their tour of San Fran. Lizzie and Darcy had fun during her 'corporate interview' where he made her laugh by impersonating Fitz. Darcy gathered up the courage to ask Lizzie on a date and she agreed. With the help of wine, Lizzie and Darcy loosened up and had intercourse with faulty contraception. They were separated by Lydia's situation the next day. Darcy bought Novelty Exposures and got the video taken down. Lizzie and Darcy tracked down George together because he threatened to blackmail Lydia. They began an official relationship right after but kept it on the down-low. Jane and Bing left for NY. Lizzie returned to San Fran with Lydia. During another stay at the Darcy's, Lizzie fainted and found out she was pregnant. Lizzie and Darcy visited the doctor together and were both happy with the idea of a baby. Everyone was supportive of Lizzie and Darcy's surprise pregnancy and their new relationship.

Charlotte was one of the last ones to find out and she got even by uploading Lizzie's video (the one where Darcy asked her out on a date). Lizzie and Darcy were forced to reveal their relationship to the internet. Lizzie agreed to move in with Darcy for the remainder of her independent study and until graduation. Lizzie shared her ideas about her new show with Darcy and he was supportive. Lizzie and Charlotte spent their birthday together at Pemberley's Charity Event but Caroline and Aunt Catherine almost ruined it. Lizzie had some uterine pain and feared the worst but it turned out to be nothing. Aunt Catherine made a surprise appearance at Pemberley to ask Lizzie and Gigi out to lunch. Aunt Catherine and Lizzie made up and Aunt Catherine offered to rent her a building as her show's headquarters.

Lizzie and Darcy traveled to Lizzie's town a few days before Lizzie's graduation. Lizzie walked across the stage and was congratulated by her family and Charlotte surprised her. Darcy also surprised her with a black jewelry box that Lizzie feared was going to be a ring, but it was just a charm bracelet. She and Darcy made a video announcing her pregnancy to the internet. Lizzie did some introspecting to figure out why she'd been scared of the jewelry box earlier and discovered that her life was changing too rapidly and marriage freaked her out right. She and Darcy had a proper talk about getting engaged and decided that their lives weren't prepared for marriage right now. Charlotte uploaded the pregnancy video and the couple was congratulated by a lot of people, even Caroline.

Lizzie decided to find out the birth of the baby with her mother and Lydia instead of waiting to return to San Fran. Lizzie decided on the name Isabella and gave her Anne as a middle name in honor of Darcy's mother. The couple spent the rest of the week hanging out around town. Lizzie packed up the majority of her stuff to have it shipped to San Fran. She had officially moved to Darcy's house. Lizzie finally met her co-producer, Aaron Fields, and they went out to interview people for the show. Lizzie tweeted about it and Caroline was in the area, so she decided to apologize to Lizzie and Darcy on camera.

Lizzie made an update video which shared her due date in November and the fact that she'd officially moved in with Darcy. Darcy had bad news at work and lashed out at Gigi. Lizzie got pissed and stormed out. The next day, Darcy tried to make amends. In addition to apologizing, he presented her with a car. Lizzie rejected it and expressed her feelings about expensive gifts and came to terms with the fact that she wasn't really mad at him after all. Darcy's bad news turned to good news but he had to travel to Japan. They missed each other ardently in their weekend apart. Lizzie learned that Ricky Collins went back to Canada and Charlotte was now the boss at C&C. Lizzie uploaded her pilot episode and got a great response. She and Darcy were offered booths at VidCon next month. Darcy returned.

**Wow. When I was summarizing it, it didn't really feel like much went on. Yet, I had almost 100K words lol. Crazy.**

* * *

The month-long wait for VidCon flew by for our favorite couple and the weekend of July 19 finally arrived. Darcy was busy with Pemberley Digital, as always, and Lizzie was busy filming as many interviews as she could before Isabella arrived. She hadn't uploaded another episode since the pilot, as she was waiting until after VidCon to start her one-episode-per-week schedule.

On Thursday night, Lizzie and Darcy flew to Anaheim, California and checked into their hotel room near the convention center where VidCon would take place for the next three days. Darcy had thought about making their first night in a hotel together a romantic scene, but that failed because both he and Lizzie were tired and just wanted to sleep. They ordered room service dinner and knocked out.

Friday morning, Darcy's alarm woke them and he groaned with dread. He was really nervous about meeting all those people. Lizzie, on the other hand, was excited to meet the people that have been supporting her videos for the past year.

"Don't be a grump about it, babe.", Lizzie said as she laid a kiss upon his cheek.

They were brushing their teeth when Lizzie asked, "Do you mind if I shower first? I'm probably gonna take a little longer to get ready because of my hair. Remind me to schedule an appointment for a haircut." Her hair had grown several inches since she left to San Francisco and she never got around to cutting it. Jane used to do it but now, she'd have to go to a proper salon.

"I do not mind. Go right ahead, my love."

When Lizzie was out of the shower, she opened the door to let Darcy know she was done.

"Thank you.", Darcy said to someone in the hotel corridor. He reentered the room with a big bowl of fruit. "I thought you might be hungry, so I ordered something light before we go down for breakfast."

Lizzie picked up a pineapple slice and smiled. "Thank you! I was kind of craving pineapple."

Lizzie wanted to look good for VidCon because she knew people were going to want pictures, so she decided to go all out. She had to style her hair and do her makeup, so she hogged up all the counter space in the bathroom while Darcy showered. She had makeup and hair stuff all over, and also the bowl of fruit which was almost empty. She donned a towel around her body and a towel wrapped around her head as she put the finishing touches on her face. _"Whoever invented contouring is a genius!",_ she thought as she finished up her cheeks. Her face was noticeably fuller as a result of her pregnancy and she was using make up to make herself look a little less round.

"Could you move over a little, my love? I need to shave.", he asked as he wrapped a towel around his waist.

"Sorry!", she said before making space for Darcy at the sink. She began putting away some materials but stopped shortly after to relieve Darcy of his razor.

"I cannot go meet people with half my face shaved, Lizzie."

"Listen, I know you're anxious about having to socialize with all those people, but that's no reason to perform self-mutilation.", she said as she put pieces of toilet paper on a few nicks on his jaw. Darcy's hands were shaky from his nervousness and he wasn't shaving properly.

"This is not something that happens often, I promise you. The last time I was this shaky was right before I decided to tell you I loved you last year. No- when I asked you out to the theater. It's a bad habit, but it doesn't happen unless I'm extremely worked up."

"Well then, allow me. I've never shaved my face, but I have lots of practice shaving my legs. Same difference, right?"

"I suppose."

"Sit upon the porcelain throne, my good sir.", Lizzie said with a posh English accent while gesturing extravagantly towards the toilet.

Darcy chuckled and sat on the toilet while Lizzie went into barber mode. She gently covered his face with shaving cream and went to work. He had to keep his head very still, but his hands were very active in bothering Lizzie. He would poke her belly playfully and tickle her, all while keeping a very serious expression on his face.

"William Darcy, if you do not keep your hands to yourself, I swear I will go all Sweeny Todd on you.", she said seriously as she shaved close to his neck. A brief smile betrayed her serious tone, however. She smiled because she knew he would get the reference. She was slowly but surely opening Darcy's mind to movies, books, and music he would never have bothered to try before because they were too mainstream or ridiculous.

"A little morbid for so early in the morning, don't you think?", he replied with one last poke. Darcy actually enjoyed this little moment of intimacy. Who else would he feel comfortable enough with to let them shave his face as he sat half naked on a hotel toilet? No one but his lovely Elizabeth Bennet.

Lizzie stuck her tongue out at him and continued. When she was finished, she wiped the excess shaving cream off with a wet cloth and then placed a kiss on each cheek. "Mmm, nice and soft."

Darcy got up and looked in the mirror to inspect her work. "I am impressed. Thank you."

She smiled in response and then sighed. "Now, to deal with all of this." , she said referring to the damp heap of hair.

"Maybe I can be of some assistance. It is only fair that I return the favor.", he replied while undid the towel on Lizzie's head.

"Yes, please.", she said, handing him a comb. They tackled Lizzie's mane together and she found it adorable how gentle he was with her hair in order to avoid causing her any discomfort.

* * *

The pair came out of the bathroom looking spiffy. All that was missing was their clothes. Lizzie decided to wear her most comfortable wedge heels and a yellow sundress with a little braided belt to show off her 24-week belly. Darcy forewent the suit jacket but wore a bowtie, as requested.

Darcy dressed quickly and sat on the bed to watch as Lizzie finished getting ready. This had become a custom of theirs in the four short months of their relationship. In the early stages, Lizzie would always wonder why the hell he just sat there and stared. It felt very intimidating, especially with the intensity in his eyes. But now, she just figured he was admiring his conquest and she felt flattered. It always came in handy to have him around while she dressed; he was an expert at fastening jewelry. Today, she needed help with the ends of that bowtie necklace Gigi had given her.

* * *

Down in the hotel's restaurant, Darcy was still nervous about the fast-approaching ambush of fans, so Lizzie pulled a waiter aside for a special request.

"I know it's a little early, but is there any way you could fill this glass half-way with scotch? No ice."

"Sure, ma'am."

"Lizzie, what are you doing?"

"It's not for me. It's for _you_. Or rather, for your _poor nerves_. My mom's go-to remedy when she's having a fit. It'll act as liquid courage for you.", Lizzie informed him.

"I don't know, Lizzie…"

The waiter returned promptly with the drink.

"Oh, come on! I would join you but I don't think our daughter would appreciate it. Quickly now; we have to be at our booths soon."

Darcy sighed in defeat and downed the drink in one go.

Lizzie's booth had the titles _Lizzie Bennet Diaries_ and _Lizzie B.'s Costume Party_ displayed on it and she was so excited. Darcy had made arrangements for Pemberley Digital's _Domino Application_ booth to be situated right next to Lizzie's so they could be together.

Aaron joined Lizzie at her booth looking absolutely giddy shortly after she'd arrived. Darcy and Lizzie shared a knowing look. _"Caroline!",_ Lizzie mouthed to Darcy and he snickered and nodded in agreement. _"Oh the fun we'll have teasing him at lunch…",_ Lizzie thought mischievously.

"Hey, Will? Can you take a picture of Aaron and I? We've gotta promote our booth."

Lizzie uploaded their picture to Twitter: _"At VidCon with TheAaronFields ! Come visit our booth!"_

Then she asked Aaron to take a picture of her with Darcy and posted it to Twitter as well: _" williamdarcy has a booth too! Right next to mine. How convenient."_

Soon enough, the crowds entered the large room and immediately a line formed at Lizzie and Darcy's booths. People were freaking out, like Lizzie expected. The majority of people asked to touch the belly and Lizzie was very obliging. Darcy had loosened up quite nicely as well. He was being very pleasant with the people who wanted to speak to him and he even allowed his picture to be taken with everyone who asked.

"See?! I told you this would be fun!", Lizzie gloated when their fans had scattered.

"Yes. This isn't at all what I expected."

Lizzie was really proud of Darcy's progress. She knew he wasn't the best person in social situations and that even though with her he'd gotten better, he was only used to interacting in business settings and with their families. But this was a major improvement. Lizzie was glad she could help him improve upon something he had trouble with. Isn't that what relationships are supposed to do? Help you grow and become a better person?

"Good job, Will.", she praised.

"Thank you, my darling.", he replied earnestly. He closed the gap between them with a couple of strides and tilted her head up by her chin. He kissed her tenderly for just a moment, but that was all that was needed for a nearby fan to snap a picture and upload it to the internet. That candid photo got more play than the picture Lizzie posted herself.

* * *

The whole weekend was a wonderful experience. Lizzie and Darcy got to meet a lot of cool people, they networked, and most importantly they promoted their products. Lizzie had a burst of new subscriptions to both her YouTube channels and Darcy's Domino app got a lot of downloads over the weekend.

Sunday night, Lizzie and Darcy returned home from their successful weekend.

"Home, sweet home!", Lizzie exclaimed as they walked through the door. A hotel suite will never compare to the Darcy estate.

The next day, she and Aaron were in the process of interviewing applicants. She really wanted to have as much material as possible before she gave birth because she had no idea how long it would be before she started back up again. More cogs in the Lizzie Bennet Enterprises machine would definitely be useful towards that goal.

She was having a quick rest when her phone rang. The caller ID showed a weird area code and she was hesitant to answer, but thought it might be important so she answered anyway.

"Hello?"

"Elizabeth Bennet! How are you doing?!"

"Ricky?"

"Yes, indeed, it is I, Ricky Collins, calling you all the way from Winnipeg, Manitoba!"

"Wow. To what do I owe this honor?", Lizzie said wile rolling her eyes.

"The honor is all mine, Miss Bennet. I am calling to congratulate you and Mr. Darcy on your baby! I had you both in my thoughts but never got around to contacting you."

"Thank you, Mr. Collins. That's very kind of you. I'm actually kinda busy right now…"

"Oh! Of course. Well, aside from my congratulations, I had to personally call you to inform you of my wedding. I am getting married to my fiancée Jamie in September. We are having the wedding back in our old town, Lizzie, so I was hoping you and Mr. Darcy could make it."

" _She was real?!_ I mean, yes, of course. We'd love to go, Ricky. Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Miss Bennet. It seems we are all moving on to bigger and better things."

"Yeah, I guess we are. Thanks for the phone call."

"It was my pleasure. Your official invitation should arrive in the mail soon."

"How do you know our address?"

"Why, Miss DeBourgh , of course."

"Oh, okay. Well, see you and your fiancée in September!"

"Yes. Goodbye, Miss Bennet!"

Lizzie couldn't believe it. She immediately called Darcy and filled him in.

"I would really like to meet the woman who could put with him..."

"William!"

"I'm just saying what I'm sure everyone will be thinking when they receive their invitations..."

Lizzie laughed because she knew it was true. Ricky was a nice guy, but he could be really annoying sometimes. Only certain people were patient enough to deal with him. Like a Miss Charlotte Lu.

She texted Charlotte but Charlotte already knew. She'd promised not to tell anyone.

_Char: Yeah I know. He's getting married on Saturday September 21._

_Lizzie: How could you not tell me that this mystery woman was real?!_

_Char: Ha ha. I had my doubts too. But she exists. Apparently they got together because of some matchmaker. And she's coordinating the wedding._

_Lizzie: Matchmaker? Figures._

_Char: Yup. So you and Darcy better put on your dancing shoes and practice. We don't want a repeat of the last time you guys danced at a wedding…_

_Lizzie: OMG._

Lizzie cringed. Last time was _really_ bad. They needed to practice ASAP.

* * *

**So next chapter Darcy and prego Lizzie get a second chance at dancing at a wedding. Hopefully it's not as awkward as last time… And OoOoOh I wonder who that matchmaker that found Ricky Collins a wife could be?… And she may or may not be the one who handles Lizzie and Darcy's wedding… 0.o Lol. ;)  
**

**I spent the majority of this weekend finishing up this chapter and going back and rereading/combing for typos. Wow. I didn't know this story was so freakin' long. I feel like the chapter when Izzy is born has to be like the best chapter ever or else the dragged out-ness of this fic will have been for nothing lol. But before that there must be a baby shower amiright?! Lol. And a nursery... Ahhh. This fic will definitely spill over into 2014. It'll be done in January probably. Just thoughts, though. Nothing is certain.**


	31. Happy Six Month Anniversary

**It seems like I am unable to fast-forward! Like seriously. It pained me to just skip a whole two months to get to Collin's wedding, so I filled it with some stuff.**

**Lizzie tries to teach Darcy to dance but that fails so he takes matters into his own hands; Lizzie meets an interesting woman but doesn't get her name; Lizzie and Darcy celebrate their 6 months anniversary.**

* * *

"Is this really necessary, Lizzie?", Darcy asked as she dragged him to the living room after dinner that night.

"Yes! We are _not_ embarrassing ourselves at _Ricky Collin's_ wedding, of all places! Do you know we haven't danced not _once_ since we started dating?"

"Well, we have been busy. Our relationship isn't exactly conventional. We've got things to do and dancing is not high on the list of priorities."

"Well that changes today! Come on, Will."

Darcy sighed. "Fine. But I am warning you: I do not dance."

Lizzie laughed. "Oh, you don't have to warn me, babe. I forget nothing. I remember all too well the couple of times that we've danced together."

Darcy's chin did that thing that it used to do way back when and Lizzie immediately apologized. "I'm sorry, Will. I didn't mean to offend you! I _love_ you! _You_ are a wonderful man… it's just that your _dancing_ kinda sucks..."

"Fix my dancing. Tell me what to do.", he surrendered.

Lizzie got out her phone and picked an online radio station that played party music. She placed it on a nearby table top and grabbed Darcy's hands.

"So dancing is basically just following the beat of the music with your body. ", she explained. "Like this."

Lizzie had her hands up in the air and she was shaking her hips to the beat of the song. She kind of forgot she was supposed to be teaching Darcy and just enjoyed herself. Darcy sat against the back of a couch and observed, with a small smile, as his pregnant girlfriend lost herself in the music. 25 weeks into her pregnancy and she was just as captivating as she had been on the dance floor last summer, if not more so.

Lizzie eventually noticed he was just watching, so she danced her way to him and pulled him to dance with her. He just stood there enjoying the show. Lizzie caught Darcy biting his lip and decided to change the genre before he decided to act upon whatever thoughts he was currently thinking.

"Since this isn't working, how about we change the song? There will definitely be a slow dance at the wedding, so let's practice that. That shouldn't be too hard."

When the slow song began, they positioned themselves accordingly. They couldn't help but laugh because Lizzie's protruding belly served as a little blockade between them.

"You're the guy, so you're supposed to lead. I'll follow you.", she said. "Step backwards and then forwards."

He was extra stiff as he stepped and eventually he reduced to just swaying.

"Okay, this works too… But this type of dancing is more comfortable like _this_.", she said as she let go of Darcy's hand and wrapped her arms around his neck. He moved his hands to her waist and they just rocked slowly to the song.

"This is good... If all else fails, we can rely on this.", she commented.

They were silent for the remainder of the song. They both had their eyes closed and were enjoying the ambiance that the slow music had created. By the time the song ended, they had stopped swaying and were just holding each other. Lizzie rested against his chest and Darcy had his cheek atop her head.

"This is nice, Lizzie. I like this. Let's do this more often.", Darcy suggested softly.

"Agreed.", Lizzie concurred as she backed up a little and looked up at him with a smile. "You don't _have_ to learn to dance. It's okay. I can dance enough for the both us.", she said with a chuckle.

They locked eyes for a few seconds before Darcy leaned down to kiss Lizzie ever so softly. _"No, Lizzie, I_ will _learn to dance. I will surprise you.",_ he decided as they kissed.

* * *

The next day, Darcy invited Fitz to lunch so that he could tell him of his plan.

"What's up, D?!", Fitz greeted Darcy as he arrived at the table.

"Hello, Fitz. How are you doing?"

"Good. B's good, too. Everything is good, man. How's Lizzie? I feel like I haven't seen her in ages."

"She's great. Busy with her show and the pregnancy."

"Yeah, I see that! She's doing big things, my dude! Anything else new?"

"She received a phone call from Ricky Collins yesterday… Apparently, he's getting married and wanted to personally inform her."

"No way! _Collins_ is getting hitched?! He did mention he had a fiancée… What was her name? Jenny?"

"Jamie."

"Ahh yes, Jamie. Not gonna lie, I thought he was making her up…"

"We all did. They are getting married in September and we are invited."

"That's cool. Fall weddings are the bomb."

"Lizzie tried to teach me to dance last night.", Darcy blurted out.

"Ha ha! What I would've paid to see that…"

"And as you can imagine, it didn't go quite so well. Lizzie is a very good dancer and I do not want to embarrass her or make her feel obligated to sit down with me while everyone else dances… so I want to take dancing lessons."

" _You_? _Dancing_ lessons?", Fitz asked with his jaw practically on the table.

"Fitz…"

"Sorry, sorry. It's just that I never thought I'd see the day…"

"How do I go about finding an instructor? I don't want anyone to know. Not my secretary, not Mrs. Reynolds, and _especially_ not Lizzie."

"Hmm… Brandon and I used to go salsa dancing at this place near our apartment. The guy was great. Really patient with some of the more… _uncoordinated_ people, like yourself. He does all kinds of dancing, though. I'll find out if he does one-on-one lessons."

"Really? That would be great, Fitz."

"Yeah. I got you, buddy. You're gonna sweep Lizzie B. off her feet."

Before the end of the week, Darcy made arrangements with the dance instructor. Once a week, they were to meet at his dance studio. Darcy would disguise the hour-long sessions as extra work.

 _"Hmm… I do not like keeping things from Lizzie… but it is for a surprise, so that is acceptable, right?"_ , he asked himself after he hung up with the man.

* * *

A few weeks passed since the big announcement of Collin's wedding. Lizzie had long forgotten the idea of teaching Darcy to dance and their invitation had arrived. Mrs. Bennet called Lizzie as soon as she received hers and just would not stop talking about how she was glad she'd told Lizzie not to go off with Mr. Collins.

"See, Lizzie, dear? I _told_ you not to go after Ricky and I turned out to be right! He had a fiancée all along and you would've missed your chance with my darlin' Darcy! Oh, my poor nerves. I'm gettin' worked up just thinkin' about the possibility that you might never have caught Darcy!"

Lizzie gritted her teeth and let her mother ramble on. _"If I remember correctly, she practically gave Ricky my hand in marriage…"_

In those few weeks that passed, Lizzie had also hired three more people to help with shooting and editing of the costume theater. Aaron had agreed to go on camera and reenact the stories that had multiple people in them, so they would need other people to man the camera and lighting and all that.

"The ladies in my viewership will swoon. Tell Caroline not to get too jealous!", Lizzie teased Aaron.

While all this was going on, Lizzie had finally reached 28th week of her pregnancy on August 12th, meaning she was now in the last trimester. She and Darcy visited the doctor and Isabella checked out perfectly.

"This is the home stretch! You need to be careful these last few months. Take it easy.", advised the obstetrician.

"Will do, doc.", Lizzie replied.

"I will make sure of it.", Darcy added.

* * *

The month of August also brought the six-month anniversary of Lizzie and Darcy's relationship. They never acknowledged any of their other monthly milestones because the pregnancy's progression overshadowed them, but this month marked half a year that they'd been together, which Darcy thought was significant enough to celebrate.

On that Friday morning, when Darcy came in from his run, he asked Lizzie excitedly, "Do you know what today is?"

"Friday?", she said sleepily. She had woken up right before he walked in.

"Yes, but it is also August 23rd."

Lizzie just stared at Darcy expectantly. "…"

"It is our sixth month anniversary today, my love.", Darcy said proudly.

"Really?", Lizzie asked with disbelief.

"Yes. I have it in my calendar. Six months ago today, I dropped you off at your doorstep after dealing with Wickham and we officiated our relationship.", he said with a smile.

"Wow. I can't believe it…"

"Oh, pardon my manners. Good morning, Lizzie. I was too excited to remind you that I forgot to say good morning."

"Good morning, babe. And happy six months! Come here!", she said with her arms wide open.

"I am all sweaty, Lizzie..."

"And I have morning breath. We're even. Come here!", she rebutted.

Darcy sat on the bed and hugged Lizzie really tightly. "Would you care to celebrate this evening?", he asked before letting her go.

"Sure. What did you have in mind?"

"How would you like to go to the theater again? It's been a while…", Darcy proposed.

Lizzie laughed. "That would be lovely!"

"I have work today, so I probably won't be seeing you again until we leave. Be ready by 6pm. We'll go to the theater and then have dinner afterwards. Does that sound acceptable?"

"That's perfect. See you at six!", she answered excitedly.

She gave Darcy a quick kiss on the cheek before he got off the bed. He smiled at her and then kissed the back of her hand. "See you this evening."

Lizzie sat in bed for a few minutes reminiscing about the last time they went to the theater. It blew her mind to think how far they've come since then. She climbed off the bed and noticed her big belly.

 _"I have nothing to wear…"_ , she thought. _"I'm taking the day off today. Ahh, the perks of being your own boss! Off to the mall I go."_

She asked to be driven to the mall and was very discouraged with the maternity dresses she was trying on. She was about to leave the store empty-handed, when she spotted one that caught her eye. It was a red, knee-length, long-sleeved wrap dress. She remembered that on their previous date to the theater, she had also worn red.

"Please fit nicely, please fit nicely, please fit nicely…", she chanted as she walked toward the dressing room. And it did. Lizzie beamed as she looked in the mirror and hoped Darcy would like it.

* * *

On the way home, she got thirsty and asked the driver to pull over in front a smoothie shop. As she exited the shop, she noticed a hair salon across the street. She unconsciously ran her fingers through her too-long hair and decided that she would finally cut her hair today.

After her hair was washed, she was seated at a chair to get her hair cut. The lady next to her, who seemed to be getting the ombre style in her hair, was talking animatedly on the phone to somebody about table cloths. Lizzie thought the woman was kind of obnoxious because she was so loud, but then the woman turned to her and apologized.

"Sorry for all the noise! It's just that I'm planning a wedding and the bride-to-be is very indecisive!", said the mystery woman.

"Oh, wow! A wedding planner? That must be fun.", Lizzie commented as the hair stylist began chopping away.

"I'm not a wedding planner! Well, not exclusively, anyway."

"What do you do?", asked Lizzie.

"I help people; I fix problems; I make people's lives better!... Well, _technically_ I run the matchmaking and lifestyle division of my father's company, but those things are part of the job." , said the woman confidently.

"Wow, that sounds interesting.", Lizzie commented. The woman looked to be about the same age as her, give or take a couple of years, and she was so accomplished.

"It is! I have successfully paired 19 couples so far. The woman on the phone is getting married next month!", she stated proudly.

"I'm guessing you see a lot of weddings."

"Yes. It's fabulous! You wouldn't happen to need my services, would you? I don't mean to be bold, but I see you're not wearing a ring…", she mentioned, eyes dashing from Lizzie's belly to her ring-less hand.

"Oh, no!", Lizzie laughed. "I'm in a relationship already. We're celebrating an anniversary today, actually. That's why I'm getting my hair done.", she clarified with a mega-watt smile.

"Hmm… a smile like that doesn't lie. You are definitely head-over-heels in love… ", said the woman with a smile.

"I am.", Lizzie admitted, still smiling.

"If I may ask, what are you two doing to celebrate?", she asked curiously.

"We're going to the theater to see a live play. That was actually our first date.", Lizzie answered. She blushed a little remembering that night.

The woman's eyes twinkled. "Yup. You two are in it for the long haul. I haven't met your guy, but I'm very perceptive about love. Congratulations! You were able to find love without any help. Oh and congrats on the baby, too.", she said before she was tapped on the shoulder by her stylist. It was time to rinse out her hair dye.

"Thank you.", Lizzie replied. _"Well, with_ some _help.",_ she thought and then 'Team FIGI' popped into her head. It was nice to speak to somebody new about these things; someone who didn't already know everything about her. She definitely needed to make some new friends.

Lizzie and the woman didn't see each other again. She was probably getting styled in another part of the salon. She wished they would've exchanged names, at least. _"Oh well. That was nice, though."_

She had left the salon with pins still in her hair to preserve the style. She didn't take them out until after she'd dressed and done her makeup. The curls were bouncy and she thought it was a nice change from her usually straight hair.

She hadn't heard from Darcy all day and wondered if he was on his way already. " _He did say six, right?…"_ , she thought, looking at her phone. As she walked down the stairs, the door bell rang. She hurried to open it and her heart raced with anticipation. She was dying to see Darcy.

* * *

She paused and took a deep breath before opening the door. Before her stood Darcy, looking handsome in a suit and tie and holding a bouquet of red roses.

Darcy swallowed hard when he saw her. "Hello, Miss Bennet."

"Hey there, Mr. Darcy.", she said shyly.

"These are for you.", he said, extending the flowers towards her.

"Thank you. They're beautiful.", she commented as she grabbed them.

" _You're_ beautiful.", he blurted out. "I mean, you look absolutely stunning, Elizabeth. Red is _definitely_ your color. And I see you finally got your hair cut..."

She smiled and said, "You noticed! And I don't think I've ever seen _you_ looking more dashing than you look right now."

A small smile appeared on Darcy's face. "While you go put the those in water, I'll bring the car around.", Darcy announced.

When he pulled up in front of the house, he waited for Lizzie by the car's passenger side. He was actually pretty excited for this date. They'd been together for six glorious months but still, tonight made him feel extra good. They didn't really go out much and when they did, it was never anywhere with a dress code. When she exited the house, he escorted her to the car and helped her in.

The car ride to the theater was quiet. Both were thinking about the last time they did this.

They made their way inside, arm-in-arm, and sat in the same seats they'd sat in last time. They chatted a little until the lights dimmed, signifying the show would start soon. Lizzie leaned close to Darcy and he had his arm around her throughout the performance; things they weren't comfortable enough to do last time.

After the show, they left the theater holding hands and started walking in the opposite direction of the parking lot.

"Where are we going, Will?", Lizzie asked.

"I thought you might enjoy eating at the same restaurant we dined at last time.", he said with a smile.

"The Greek place?"

"Mmhmm."

Lizzie nodded enthusiastically. They walked with their fingers interlocked, stopping every so often to share a quick smooch. Last time, they were only able to enjoy the accidental clashes of their hands as they walked side by side, but this time they weren't restricted.

At dinner, they each talked about their day and enjoyed each other's company. Darcy thought it was funny how someone had told Lizzie she was in love, because the same thing had happened to him when he went to pick up the flowers. An elderly woman that worked there eyed him as he stood deciding what flowers to get Lizzie. Before he left, she stopped him and told him, "It's not every day we see a man walk in here that looks as in-love as you do…"

They walked back towards the car with full stomachs and in good spirits. When they were seated in the car, Darcy was going to turn on the engine, but stopped. Instead, he turned to Lizzie and kissed her passionately. He'd been dying to kiss her with force since she opened the door for him earlier, but decided against it so that he wouldn't just give up on the date entirely and stay at home kissing her all night. Lizzie undid her seatbelt and kissed him back with equal intensity. They were reveling in the differences between then and now. Last time, they were both dying to touch one another but didn't have the courage to do so sober. But now, they _could_ and that fact was so overwhelming for the both of them.

They stopped kissing in order to breathe, and Darcy said between breaths, "I love you, Elizabeth Bennet… and I can't imagine… what the past six months of my life… would have been… without you in them."

"I feel exactly the same way, William… and I know dating with a baby on the way isn't exactly the traditional way to go about things… but I wouldn't change any of it… I think Isabella's brought us closer much faster than we could've gotten without her."

Darcy smiled and nodded. "I couldn't agree more."

"I'd like to go home now, babe. I'm pretty sure we can finish the night off the same way we did last time… sans alcohol.", she said with a smile as she put on her seat belt.

Because of where she was in her pregnancy, it was no longer safe to put Darcy's weight on her belly, so they had to find other positions to make love in. That night Lizzie was on top. It was her favorite because there's no pressure on her belly and she could control the speed and depth of penetration. She and Darcy were every bit as passionate and raw as they were that first time, but now they knew each other's bodies better, so everything was smoother than last time. Sure, they had to keep adjusting as the pregnancy progressed, but they wouldn't dream of trading _now_ for _then_.

"Happy Six Month Anniversary, William.", Lizzie said with a drowsy smile. She had put everything she had into her performance that night and she was exhausted. She kissed him one last time and got off of him and settled into bed for sleep.

Darcy mimicked her and got comfortable. It's only been six months and he was going to have her by his side for the rest of his life. He couldn't wait.

* * *

**There's some more fillery stuff next chapter: Lizzie deals with pregnancy symptoms; she decides to purchase a vehicle; she experiences a minor complication and has to stop working; Gigi comes back to town for a special occasion.** **_Then_ ** **we have Collin's wedding. Pinky promise.**


	32. Darcy Family Tradition

One evening in the week after their six months celebration, Darcy arrived a little later than usual from his dancing lesson and he couldn't find Lizzie anywhere.

"Where could she be?", he wondered as he pulled out his phone to call her. "Lizzie?"

"Hey stranger! You're later than usual. Where are you?"

"I'm home. Where are _you?_ I have looked almost everywhere and I can't seem to locate you."

"Keyword almost. I'm in the _bathtub_ , Will. You would suck at hide-and-seek.", she said with a laugh.

"Oh. I, uh, didn't bother to check there...", he explained as he climbed back upstairs.

Lizzie had never made use of the huge bathtub before, since she preferred showers, but that day she felt like it was invented just for her. She'd arrived home with terrible back pain and before pumping herself full of pain meds, she decided to look up alternate methods of relief. Her face lit up at the thought of sitting in a nice, warm tub. The one in their bathroom could rival the hot tub downstairs.

"My love? Are you alright?", Darcy asked as he approached her. She was humming and wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

"Mmm. More than alright. This feels amazing. I'm never getting out of here.", she answered.

"Is there anything I can get for you? Is there anything you need?", Darcy asked.

"Yes. I would like one thing."

"Your wish is my command, my darling.", he answered honestly.

"Get in here with me right now.", she requested, splashing water at him.

"Okay.", he replied with a slick smile.

"No funny business, babe! I know what that smile means.", she warned him.

Darcy chuckled and then began to remove his clothes. As soon as Darcy was submerged in the water, she moved toward her favorite seat on Darcy's lap. He welcomed her with a big hug and rested his hands on the ever growing belly that housed their baby girl.

"So how was your day, Miss Bennet?"

"It was okay."

"Just okay?"

"Yeah. I felt really tired today and then my back pain started… You know, I think it might be time for me to buy myself a car. Because the bus rides that I usually find very nice have been painstakingly annoying. Like today with my back. I just wanted to hurry up and get home."

"Why didn't you call me, Lizzie?", he asked worriedly.

"It wasn't anything I couldn't handle… but I _would_ like to buy my car now. I have enough saved for a decent little used car."

"We can go to a car dealership tomorrow.", he declared. If she wasn't going to let him buy her a car, the least he could do was be present when she bought herself one.

"Thanks… What about _your_ day? What did _you_ do today?"

Darcy really felt like just telling her about the dance lessons but he held his tongue. The surprise would be worth it.

"The usual… Let's not talk about work, though. I have a beautiful woman in my arms and I'd like to enjoy her for a moment without having to think about anything else.", he confessed before laying small kisses on the back of her neck and shoulders.

Lizzie smiled at the compliment. She hadn't been feeling particularly beautiful lately. She was gaining weight a lot more rapidly and she was even beginning to see stretch marks. She thought she had gotten lucky, but alas, they were finally starting to make an appearance on her still growing breasts, hips, and belly. They were very faint, so she was rubbing oils and lotions on her skin constantly so they wouldn't get more noticeable. Also, even with a brand new, super comfortable body pillow she'd recently purchased, sleep was still elusive sometimes, so she woke up with bags under her eyes often.

Darcy was oblivious to most of the things she obsessed over, except for the fact that her boobs were bigger and that she looked more tired than usual. To him, she was still as fabulous as she was before he knocked her up.

"Thanks, Will. You're being really good to me. I really do appreciate your patience and understanding. I know I haven't been a walk in the park with this baby. And I know I'm getting bigger and bigger with each passing day, but it's not my fault, I _swear_! I'm _always_ hungry but then I can't eat a lot because I get full fast. And I've developed an aversion to meat, so all I'm eating is carbs and-"

Darcy interrupted her, "Whoa, whoa! There is no need to explain why you are gaining weight, Lizzie. You are _pregnant_. That is what is supposed to happen, if I am not mistaken. Do not feel guilty about it. If you think that you are not attractive anymore, then you are wrong."

"You still think I'm hot?"

"Of course! You are absolutely alluring.", he reassured her.

Darcy heeded Lizzie's warning and kept the fooling around to a minimum, so they bathed and were out of the tub before they resembled prunes. Before heading to the bedroom, Darcy swiped Lizzie's towel away. "See, Lizzie? You are as sexy as ever. I don't ever want you to feel otherwise.", he said seriously.

She smiled at him and held her hand out for her towel. He shook his head no and took it with him to the bedroom.

" _William Darcy_! Give me my towel back!", she yelled after him. She sighed and looked in the bathroom mirror. She considered that maybe she _didn't_ look as bad as she thought she did. _"Just a few more months to go…",_ she thought as she rubbed her belly.

* * *

The first week of September brought Lizzie to her 31st week of pregnancy. She had decided against going to work that day because she felt drained. When Darcy called her during lunch, she told him she was still in bed and feeling like crap, so he insisted they visit the doctor.

She had no energy to argue, so she agreed.

"Hmm… the blood tests show that you are slightly anemic… have there been any changes in your diet?"

"I don't eat meat anymore. It makes me sick just thinking about it.", Lizzie answered.

"That is the problem, then. You are deficient in iron because of the decreased consumption of meat. We'll give you some supplements for that."

"Is that all?"

"Aside from that, everything else seems to be fine. Your baby is perfectly healthy. I suggest taking it easy from here on out. No stress and as little activity as possible so that your body can recuperate."

"Yes, doctor."

"Oh, one quick question.", Darcy asked before the doctor left the room. "Lizzie and I are attending a wedding in a few weeks and I wanted to know if she is okay to fly."

"Yes. As long as she's flying before she's full term, there should be no problem. Let me sign a note for you just in case you get troubled at the airport."

A few days after the appointment, Lizzie returned to work. She had her new (well, new to _her_ ) car, so she drove herself. When Darcy found out she wasn't at home, he got mad. That evening at dinner, he shared his thoughts on her working even after being warned not to push herself too hard.

"Lizzie, why did you go to the office today?", he asked annoyed.

"Will, I have to shoot as many of these stories as possible. Don't you get it? I have no idea when I'll be able to do this again and without me being present in the videos, I don't think I'll get as many views."

"Everyone knows you are pregnant, Lizzie. They will understand. I am sure you have enough material to last through at least December. You should be fine. If you really feel the need to go back to work soon, we can hire an au pair-"

"No way. I'm not gonna leave my daughter with somebody else.", she said sternly. Lizzie was feeling extremely over-protective and she wasn't about to agree to another woman caring for her newborn child.

"Well then, Lizzie, what would you like us to do? Isabella is going need constant care and attention for the first few months and it will be extremely difficult for you to work _and_ be with her. I will help as much as I can, but even with my assitance, it will not be easy."

"Which is why I need to work as much as possible _now_!"

"But at what cost?! If you injure yourself, you're going to put both yourself _and_ our daughter at risk and I will _not_ take that chance."

Lizzie thought about it for a few seconds. _"He has a point… and I am really tired…"_

She sighed. "Fine. My last day will be tomorrow. I will let Aaron and the rest know."

"Thank you. I think it is a wise decision."

Lizzie teared up. "Maybe I shouldn't have gone through with this show until after giving birth… this is so inconvenient. What if people stop watching while I'm gone… I jumped into this too quickly. When I made plans for this show, I didn't consider that my pregnancy would affect it…", she sniffled. She was afraid that all her goals and everything she had been working toward would just crumble.

"Lizzie, people love your show! And the majority of your subscribers watch the show _and_ your diaries, so they know what is going on. You have a dedicated fan base and I doubt they are going to disappear over something as beautiful as bringing a baby in to the world.", he declared, trying to appease her.

She let out a deep breath. "Yeah, you're right, babe. I'll just make a video letting them know."

* * *

The next day, Lizzie went to her office and explained her situation to her employees.

"We totally get it, Elizabeth. Don't feel bad. We have enough footage to last us a few months. And when we run out, we'll just go on hiatus. We can premiere a Season 2 or we can just say it was a winter hiatus and return for the rest of Season 1. No problem."

Lizzie felt relieved. "See, this is why you're my co-producer, Aaron!"

When she returned home, she decided to make the video updating her viewers on her current state. She set up in the living room and pressed record.

"Hey, everyone! It's been a while, I know. But as you can see, I've been busy.", she said as she got up and pointed to her big belly.

"My name is Lizzie Bennet, and I'm on house arrest- I mean _bed rest_."

*Cue theme music*

"Oops. Bed rest; I meant bed rest! Ha ha. But no, seriously. I was diagnosed with anemia and was advised by my doctor _and_ my boyfriend to take it easy since I'm in the last trimester. That means no more work. I can't go film anymore interviews or costume theater for my show, _Lizzie B.'s Costume Party;_ links in the description! We will use all that we've filmed so far and then we'll go on hiatus for a little while until I can finally return. I'll be busy with Little Bowtie, so let's see what happens. I want to thank you all for the support you've shown me so far…"

* * *

The following week, Lizzie was curled up on the couch rereading one of her favorite novels, when her phone rang.

"Hey, Gigi!", she said excitedly. She hadn't seen Gigi in-person in several months since she was away at Sanditon and had decided to extend her stay by moving there.

"Hi, Lizzie! How are you and my niece doing?"

"We're fine. A little sleepy, but fine. She keeps moving around."

"Aww, I can't wait to feel her kick!"

"Huh? You're coming?", Lizzie asked surprise. She knew Gigi would be there for the birth, but she didn't know that Gigi would show up before then.

"Yes. I actually arrive tomorrow."

"Really? Wow! I had no idea. It will be so nice to hang out with you again."

"Yeah, I'll be leaving with you guys to Mr. Collin's wedding."

"Oh, okay. That's more than enough time for you to fill me in on this new boyfriend of yours…", Lizzie teased.

"He's not my boyfriend!... Yet. Ha ha… But I'm surprised you didn't know I'd be going this weekend."

"Why? What's this weekend?"

"Maybe William forgot…"

"Forgot what?"

"Ask him to explain. It's nothing ominous, so don't freak out or anything. It's a tradition we have every year."

"Oh, okay. I'll ask him. Thanks for the heads up. I'll see you tomorrow then!"

"Yeah! Bye!", Gigi said before hanging up.

"Hmmm… I wonder what's going on this weekend…"

When Darcy got home from work, he found Lizzie asleep on the couch. She wanted to ask him about what Gigi said, but she fell asleep once baby Bella stopped moving around.

"Hello there, my sleeping beauty.", Darcy said when Lizzie finally woke up.

"Hey, babe.", she greeted him with a smile. "You know Gigi called me earlier to say she was coming tomorrow… she said you'd tell me why."

Darcy's face fell. "I can't believe I almost forgot…", he said sadly.

"What's wrong, Will?"

"Nothing. It's just that every third Sunday in September, Georgiana and I go to the cemetery to visit our parents… We decided to go just once a year, so we picked the median of their dates of death… Would you mind accompanying us?"

"Of course not. I'd love to tag along.", Lizzie answered immediately. Darcy rarely ever spoke of his parents and this visit would allow her to learn more about them and also show support to the Darcy siblings.

The following day, Lizzie surprised Gigi by personally picking her up in her car.

"Oh my goodness, Lizzie! You're huge! Oops! No offense! The last time I saw you, you were just starting to show!", Gigi said excitedly in the car. Lizzie was going to drive them to Pemberley to see Darcy.

Gigi did like she always used to do, and barged into her big brother's office. "William!", she squealed as she ran to him.

"Gigi, it's nice to see you, too.", he said after her big bear hug. "How's your new home away from home treating you?"

"Sanditon is amazing! It's different than I'm used to but it's a great experience!"

"Lizzie says that you have a boyfriend…", Darcy stated with one eyebrow raised.

" _Lizzie!_ No, I do not, Will! You'd be the first to know! Well, after Fitz and Lizzie and Clara…", she said with a smile.

That night, they went out to eat with Fitz and Brandon and 'Team FIGI' was reunited once again.

* * *

That Sunday, Darcy, Gigi, and Lizzie dressed in dark clothes and headed out to the cemetery. They parked and walked towards the Darcy family mausoleum.

On their walk, Darcy explained to Lizzie, "Our family has its own private structure. Our dead are buried above ground in the mausoleum."

When they reached the ornately designed structure, Darcy pulled out some keys and opened up the doors. The big room was decked out with marble floors and walls and it even had electricity, so with a flick of a light switch, the room lit up.

"Wow.", said Lizzie as she saw the Darcy family resting place. "This is beautiful."

"Our grandfather was really into marble, as you can see. And our dad had the lights installed after Mom-", Gigi stated but stopped abruptly and gulped.

"Our paternal grandparents are buried here along with our parents. My grandfather came to love America and decided he'd rather be buried here, where all his hard work paid off. And our mother decided she wanted to be buried alongside my father, so she was put to rest here. Father joined her ten years later."

"Father has been gone for six years, Lizzie. And Mom for sixteen.", Gigi filled her in, tears trickling down her face.

Gigi turned to where her mother and father's tombs were and cleared her throat. "Hey, Mom; Hello, Father. I can't believe it's been a whole year… So many wonderful things have happened since I last visited you…", she told them. She briefly filled them in. Their dad used to make them fill their mother in every time they visited her grave and Gigi and Darcy continued the tradition.

"Your turn, William.", Gigi said, sniffling.

Darcy gulped. He took a deep breath and stepped before his parents. "Mother… Father. We miss you. We tell you every time we come here, but it never stops being true. The last year of my life has had its ups and downs, but I finally found love…", he said and looked over to Lizzie.

"Lizzie, could you come over here please?", he asked softly.

She walked towards Darcy and he grabbed her hand. "Mother, Father. This is Elizabeth Bennet. She is my girlfriend and one day she is going to be my wife… How I wish you two could have met her… She's carrying your first grandchild, you know.", and with that Darcy broke. He desperately wished his parents could have lived to meet Isabella. He was overwhelmed with the fact that in a few months, he was going to be a parent, and yet his parents weren't going to be there to give him advice and to rejoice.

Lizzie had never seen Darcy like that before. Sure, she'd seen his vulnerable side a few times, but this complete breakdown was something new.

"Oh, Will…", she said as her heart broke for him. She hugged him tightly and rubbed his back. It hurt her to see him so sad.

Gigi started crying, too, so Lizzie called for her to come close and she held both Darcys as they let their tears run.

"I am sure your parents would be really proud of the both of you. And I'm so sorry that you had such limited time with them… but remember, you've got plenty of people who love you. Like me, for starters."

She let go of the siblings and walked in front of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy's graves. "Mr. and Mrs. Darcy- or Anne and Fitzwilliam, as I probably would have called you since we'd be family- you raised a good pair of kids. If your children are any indication of the kind of people you were, I think we'd have gotten along pretty well… I'm no good at this type of stuff, so let me wrap this up: hopefully you don't mind if I become part of this tradition. Next year, I'll be back. And so will your granddaughter, Isabella. And every year after that as well- with a new addition every once in a while.", she said with a smile.

The Darcys cheered up with Lizzie's little speech. They all said their goodbyes and locked up the mausoleum. As they walked toward the car, Darcy stopped short.

"Will? You alright?", Lizzie asked.

"Yes. I am alright thanks to you, Lizzie. Your presence this year made our visit much more bearable. I am sorry you had to see us like that..."

"Don't apologize for crying, baby. You can't be Mr. Tough Guy all the time.", she said as she caressed his cheek. "I'm glad you invited me."

Lizzie felt like she had been officially initiated into the Darcy family that day. No one else, besides Aunt Catherine, had ever set foot inside there.

"And I am glad you accepted. Thank you for coming."

Lizzie hugged Darcy and replied, "No need to thank me, Will. I'll be here for you whenever you need me. I love you."

"Me, too.", was all Darcy was able to say. He still didn't understand how such a tiny woman could make him feel like a puddle of goo.

The week passed more quickly than usual for Lizzie, since she had Gigi's company. They hung out, talked, and went dress hunting for Collin's wedding, which was no easy feat for 32 weeks pregnant. But Friday afternoon, Lizzie and the Darcys boarded a plane to Lizzie's hometown. In less than 24 hours, they were going to be at Ricky Collins' wedding.

* * *

**Next chapter, Collins gets hitched. Darcy and Lizzie get their groove thing on and meet the matchmaker. I wonder who catches the bouquet… Also, like, everyone and their mother is going to be present at that wedding lol.**


	33. Ricky Collins' Wedding

**I edited the first part of last chapter, if y'all wanna go back and give it a second read. Nothing plot-changing, so it's totally optional.**

**It's just that before, Lizzie was in a hot tub and that is bad news for baby. It may be common sense for you guys but I didn't know how hot hot tubs actually got. ( _Then why are you writing about them if you don't know?!_ ) Well, I've never been pregnant either lol and if I followed that rule then we wouldn't have this fic. Sorry! I should've researched it, though. All of you ladies that _have_ been pregnant probably get annoyed with some of my inaccuracies, but please let me know if something sounds totally crazy. Thanks for pointing out the hot tub thing, Jen!**

**As for flying while preggers, for our Lizzie, I think it's okay. Her iron deficiency was detected and handled. She's not flying alone so she doesn't have to do any work. She still has over a month before her due date.** **She got a check-up and little Izzy was cool and the doc gave the OK.** **And I know I've never specified where exactly Lizzie's hometown is (somewhere in the middle of California, maybe? Like close to the border between Nevada and California since Lydia drove to Vegas and she also drove to LA to visit Jane. That makes sense, right?) but the flight isn't long enough to cause concern. They just fly 'cause it's faster than driving. I researched the idea of her flying while in the last trimester to make sure it was okay (unlike the hot tub lol FAIL).**

**Also, like, every character ever mentioned in the LBD gets a little cameo this chapter lol. So it's like a mash-up of people. I hope I did a decent job writing this! It really is a challenge to get things from your brain into writing, something I have learned over the course of writing this fic.  
**

**This chapter is a long one. Over 6K! Didn't wanna split it!**

**Anyway, on to the wedding weekend!**

* * *

When Lizzie, Darcy, and Gigi landed in Lizzie's hometown, they went straight to Netherfield to get settled. Lizzie informed her parents that they need not make any modifications to the house because she was not going to sleep over there. Bing and Jane had arrived earlier in the day and had fixed up multiple rooms for them all. _Everyone_ was flying in for this wedding.

Lizzie was relieved when they were finally in the rental and on the way home. She felt as if she was being treated like she was made of glass at the airport. Darcy had arranged for the airline to provide a wheelchair for her so she wouldn't have to stand in lines or walk around the airport. She was grateful for the chair, but hated being the source of so much fuss.

Lizzie and Darcy went to Darcy's old room and Gigi took the room that Lizzie stayed in the previous summer. As Gigi had never been to Netherfield, she was exploring when she ran into Lizzie.

"Don't get too comfortable, Gigi.", Lizzie warned her. "We're just gonna drop our stuff off. Bing and Jane are already at my parents'. You'll finally get to meet them. And Lydia's home, too!"

"Yeah, we text each other all the time. I'm supposed to go to the movies with her and your cousin Mary tonight.", Gigi said with a smile.

They rang the doorbell at the Bennet home and Mrs. Bennet ran for the door.

"I'll get it! That must be Elizabeth! Oh, I can't wait to see that belly!", she exclaimed.

When Mrs. Bennet opened the door, she squealed with delight and hugged Lizzie tightly. She was over the moon with how big Lizzie's belly had grown and she thought the extra pounds looked lovely on her daughter.

"Oh, Lizzie, look at you!", she raved.

"Hi, Mom. I'd love to chat, but could we do this inside? Also, you have yet to greet William and his little sister, Georgiana."

"My apologies! Hey there, Darcy, dear! What're you standing there for? Come give me a hug!", she ordered.

Darcy laughed and hugged his future mother-in-law. "Hello, Francine. You look well. Allow me to introduce my sister, Georgiana Darcy."

Gigi smiled and waved. "Hi, Mrs. Bennet. Please, call me Gigi."

"Well, aren't you cute as a button?! Call me Francine! The Darcys are a handsome family. My grandbaby is gonna be beautiful! Come over here, Gigi, dear.", Mrs. Bennet said opening her arms for a hug.

Gigi hugged her and thought to herself that her brother was right; Mrs. Bennet's hugs were the absolute best.

"Come on in, everybody. Jane and Bing are here. Dinner's just about ready, so don't eat anythin'!", she warned them as she let them in the house.

They walked to the living room, where Jane, Bing, Mr. Bennet, and Lydia were watching some old home videos.

"Lizzie!", they all said when Lizzie walked in. Everyone was so happy to see that her pregnancy was going well.

"You look beautiful, Lizzie!", Jane said as she got up to hug her.

"Thank you, Janie. You do, too, as always.", Lizzie said with a big smile. "Hey, Bing!"

Mr. Bennet hugged Darcy and shook his hand before asking, "And who's this lovely young lady?"

"Thomas, this is my younger sister, Georgiana Darcy.", Darcy answered.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Bennet. Please, call me Gigi."

"And you can call _me_ Thomas.", he said shaking her hand.

"So _this_ is Gigi Darcy? It's so good to finally meet you.", Jane said sweetly.

"Likewise, Jane. I love your fashion sense!", Gigi commented. She had always admired Jane's style from Lizzie's videos.

"Gigi!", Lydia said excitedly. The girls squawked and ran to each other for a big bear hug. "Come on, let's go to my room! You have to fill me in on this Sidney guy…"

"Shhh!", Gigi shushed her. The girls ran up the stairs and disappeared into Lydia's room.

"Ellie…"

"Dad, I told you not to call me that…", she said before making her way to Mr. Bennet.

He rubbed her belly and sighed. "Wow. You look fantastic, honey."

"Yeah right, Dad. I look like I swallowed a watermelon.", she joked.

The rest of the visit was spent eating and in good company. Mrs. Bennet asked her daughters to help her decide which hat to wear to the wedding tomorrow and Mr. Bennet had taken Bing and Darcy into his study to chat. He was very pleased to see that his daughters looked happy and he thanked them. He also jokingly threatened that they had better keep it that way.

The Bennet sisters and their men returned to Netherfield where they spent the rest of the night hanging out and awaiting Fitz and Brandon, who were also invited to the wedding. It seems that Ricky Collins left no stone unturned when it came to inviting people to his big day. Anyone he might have a slight connection with received an invitation.

"This is how I like to see my home; filled with loved ones.", Bing stated happily after Brandon and Fitz arrived.

* * *

The next morning was a sunny Saturday with perfect wedding weather. While everyone ate breakfast, they heard the front door open.

"I wasn't aware that we were expecting anyone else.", said Darcy.

Bing smiled and yelled out, "We're in the dining room!"

They heard the clacking of heels and then watched as Caroline Lee appeared.

"Good morning, everyone.", she said happily. She was certainly a changed woman. Her presence would've been a source of awkwardness before, but now she was part of the crew. Everyone had seen how she apologized to Lizzie and they could all see the difference in her behavior.

"You look great, Caroline!", Bing commented before hugging his big sister.

"Always, baby brother. Always.", she answered with a flip of her hair over her shoulder.

"Caroline, are you here for the wedding?", Jane asked. Not even _she_ had known Caroline was coming. _"Hmm… it makes sense considering we fixed up Caroline's room, too, but that still leaves two other bed rooms that we fixed…"_ , Jane thought.

"Yes, we came for the wedding.", she replied.

" _We?_ ", asked Lizzie.

"Get over here, you three!", Caroline ordered before stalking away and returning with Aaron Fields and two other men.

"Aaron?", Lizzie and Darcy asked in unison.

"Hey, Elizabeth. Darcy.", he said with a salute.

Caroline cleared her throat. "Everyone, this is my boyfriend Aaron Fields. Aaron, this is my little brother Bing. That's his girlfriend-"

"Jane, yeah, I know her from Lizzie's videos. And Fitz. And Gigi. And I'm assuming you're Brandon?"

Bing and Aaron shook hands and then Caroline kept the introductions going. "And these two are Aaron's younger brothers, Carlos and Patrick."

"Wow, Aaron, even your brothers are hot.", Lizzie commented as she waved at them. One of them looked no older than 21 and the other seemed to be about Lizzie's age.

Darcy rolled his eyes in response and then smiled. Lizzie stuck her tongue out at him. She liked to push his buttons every now and again.

"Wow, it really is a full house. Almost all the bedrooms are occupied. Nice to meet you, Fields brothers. Make yourselves at home.", Bing greeted them warmly.

* * *

By 4pm, everyone at Netherfield was ready. All the ladies looked gorgeous and the men looked dapper. Even Lizzie, who felt like the ugly duckling of the group since all the other women weren't 40lbs too heavy like she was, couldn't turn down a compliment that day. _"Jane Bennet works miracles!",_ Lizzie thought as she looked in the mirror one last time before heading downstairs with the rest of the girls.

The guys were all waiting in the living room and when the group of women started to descend. They all watched like it was a fashion show. Aaron, Bing, and Darcy were all dumbstruck with how beautiful their girlfriends looked.

"We all look mighty fine, if I do say so myself! Let's _go_! I'm dying to see if to see if this wasn't all an elaborate hoax orchestrated by Ricky Collins!", Fitz joked.

They coupled up and started walking towards the front door. As they walked toward the car arm-in-arm, Darcy whispered into Lizzie's ear, "My heart skipped a beat when you came down the stairs. The next time you plan on looking so beautiful, you should warn me so that I may brace myself."

Lizzie tried her best to hide her smile, but her efforts were futile. It was cheesy, but she knew he meant it. She blushed a little and gave Darcy a quick kiss on the cheek before he helped her into their rental. It left a lipstick mark on him and she wanted to leave it but decided against it and wiped it away. Darcy and Lizzie were riding with Gigi, Fitz, and Brandon while Bing and Jane rode with Caroline and the Fields brothers.

They arrived at the local church and greeted many familiar faces in the parking lot. They immediately started mingling. Mrs. Bennet was already there and was boasting about Lizzie's pregnancy to Mary Bennet and her parents.

"Oh look! _There_ she is! And look at her _handsome_ boyfriend! See? I was _not_ exaggeratin'!", she claimed.

"Aunt Franny, we all _met_ him the last time they were in town…", Mary said, annoyed. Her tone didn't phase her Mrs. B, however.

The Lu family had also just arrived and Mr. and Mrs. Lu were pleased to see Lizzie. They knew she was pregnant because of Charlotte, but they hadn't seen her in forever.

"Hey, Maria!", Lizzie said excitedly before hugging her. She hadn't seen her bestie's little sister in so long.

"Char!", Lizzie called out when she found Charlotte. They hugged each other tightly and Charlotte commented on the size of Lizzie's belly, like everyone else.

"You look great though, Lizzie. The pregnancy glow is in full effect.", she complimented.

"You look amazing, too! I love your hair like that. Short and sophisticated.", Lizzie responded.

"Lizzie, I have been looking for you all over. It is time to go in.", Darcy interrupted their chat. "Hello, Charlotte. You look lovely... Shall we, ladies?"

Lizzie and Charlotte each took one of Darcy's arms and walked into the church.

Everyone eagerly awaited the bride of the groom. Ricky Collins looked extremely nervous when the organ began to play the familiar tune announcing the bride's imminent approach.

The woman marched slowly down the aisle, with a young girl holding the tail of her gown and her face covered by a veil. All those who were anticipating the woman's face felt trolled. Lizzie couldn't help but squeeze Darcy's hand because she could see herself in Jamie. She was looking forward to getting married. Not now, but whenever they decided the time was right.

The moment of truth finally arrived. Ricky lifted the veil from her face and the woman who was about to become Jamie Collins was actually very _pretty_. Nothing like they had expected. She had caramel skin, curly dark hair and eyes, and a very pretty face. She also gave off this really placid vibe, so they could all sense that she had the patience necessary to be with Ricky for the rest of her life.

"Damn, even _Ricky Collins_ got game! Shame on you, Darcy, if you wouldn't have caught Lizzie!", Fitz whispered loudly, making the whole pew snicker. Luckily, the sound was masked by clapping because the priest had just pronounced the Collins' husband and wife.

* * *

Everyone packed back into their cars to head to the location of the reception, which was beautifully decorated. It was a little extravagant for Lizzie's tastes, but still very nice.

People made their way to their tables and awaited the female master of ceremonies to announce Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Collins on the dance floor. After their first dance, the floor was open to everyone and now was Darcy's time to shine. All the hours of dance practice were about to be put to use.

It was a fun, fast-paced song that started playing and after all the other couples got up to dance, Darcy stood up and cleared his throat.

"Lizzie, would you care to dance?", Darcy asked confidently.

"What?", she asked, confused. She had already resolved to stay with Darcy whenever there was no one else left to keep him company at the table.

"Lizzie, _do you wanna get your grove thing on_?", Darcy asked again with a playful look in his eyes.

Lizzie's eyes widened and she could not stop laughing. " _Oh my God._ Yes, of course! How could I say no to that?"

He smiled because his plan worked perfectly. He got the response he expected and now all he had to do was dance properly so that his mission of surprising Lizzie would be complete.

They neared the other couples, who were surprised to see Darcy willingly walking onto the dance floor with Lizzie. She started dancing and then Darcy matched her movements.

"No way…", gasped Gigi. She was dancing with Lydia and was astonished. "I _have_ to record this!", she declared as she practically abandoned Lydia and got out her cell phone.

Lizzie and Darcy seemed to be the center of attention on the dance floor. Their friends stared because Darcy was actually dancing and it looked _good_. The rest of the guests were staring because they either knew Lizzie or because they thought it was cool to see the pregnant lady dance.

When the song ended, a lot of people were clapping for them and they walked back to their seats proudly.

"Will! You were great! When the hell did you learn to dance? I remember we tried and it didn't turn out so good."

Darcy smiled and revealed the secret he'd been keeping for what seemed like ages. "I took dancing lessons to surprise you, my love."

"Aww, babe! Well, you _definitely_ surprised me.", she declared and gave him a congratulatory kiss.

 _"I did it.",_ he thought, feeling accomplished.

"Wow, Darceface, I didn't know you had it in you!", exclaimed Lydia when she reached their table. "Whatttt!", she yelled and extended her hand. Darcy remembered Lydia used to do that in her videos, so he gave her a high-five and laughed.

"So, Lizzie, who's the hottie in the corner?!", Lydia inquired. She had been wary of men ever since the incident with you-know-who, but she was finally getting more confident. She hadn't dated anybody since, but wasn't averse to getting back in the game anymore.

"That _hottie's_ name is Carlos. He's Caroline's boyfriend's little brother… you know what? He doesn't know anyone here aside from his brothers. Maybe you should introduce yourself."

"You know what, sis? That sounds like a great idea…", she said before walking towards Carlos.

Lizzie smiled. "Look, Will! She's interested in seeing guys again. I'm so happy for her."

"As am I. It is nice to see Lydia so _energetic_ … But the poor kid is no match for her. She is more extroverted than he is. Look at him; he doesn't even know how to talk to her. You would think with his looks he'd know a thing or two."

Lizzie's jaw dropped after his little speil. "Oh, and _you're_ one to talk? The _same thing_ could be said about _us_."

Darcy's eyebrows rose in realization of the similarities between them and he suddenly became really thirsty.

"Mmhmm. No need to reply. You _know_ I'm right.", Lizzie gloated.

* * *

Not long after the party started, Catherine DeBourgh arrived to congratulate Mr. Collins on his matrimony. She couldn't make it to the actual wedding but she was pleased with the reception.

"Congratulations, Mr. Collins. I think it is splendid that you married. I encourage everyone to do so. And your wife is delightful… However did you manage to secure her affections?"

"We were set up. I was in Highbury on business and I saw an advertisement for a local matchmaking service. I had time to spare and I decided I had nothing to lose, so I met with the woman who runs the service. She profiled me and a few weeks later, I was on a date with Jamie. She and I have a lot in common. For example, we were both born in Manitoba! I moved to this town when I was three years old because my father had business here, but I went back to visit family every summer for many years! Oh, Manitoba is a wonderful place-"

"Yes, yes. Very good, Mr. Collins. Have you seen my nephew? I know he and Liz are here."

"Ahh yes, let me escort you, Mrs. DeBourgh! I believe Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennet are seated in this direction."

Darcy and Lizzie weren't seated, however. They were on the dance floor again. A slow dance this time. They were doing the swaying thing and were talking and laughing during the song. They looked so in-love and so right for each other as they shared a kiss. Jane and Bing gave Lizzie and Darcy a run for their money with all their smiling and googley eyes. Hell, even Caroline and Aaron looked like they'd been together for a while even though they'd only been dating for a couple of months.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and Aunt Catherine all looked at their kids with pride and were just overjoyed for them.

Catherine chatted with Gigi about Sanditon while she waited for the couple to return to their seats.

"My, my Liz, don't you look positively pregnant! You look gorgeous, I must say. And William, I don't believe I've ever seen you dance so elegantly. Elizabeth, whatever you're doing, keep it up because it has worked wonders!", Aunt Catherine exclaimed.

Mr. Collins returned. "Mr. Darcy! Do you mind if I steal Miss Bennet for a song? My wife and I would like to dance with all our closest friends!"

"You consider me a close friend? _Seriously?_ ", she wondered aloud. "Uhh, sorry Ricky. Maybe later? My feet hurt." Her feet were getting swollen so she was going to rest them on Darcy's lap for a little bit.

"Ahh, of course. Have any of you seen Ms. Lu?"

"She's over there talking to- is that Aaron's brother, Patrick? Sorry, Mr. Collins... It appears you'll have to find somebody else."

"Very well. I will see if young Ms. Lu will do me the honor.", he bowed and walked away.

"It looks like everyone has someone to keep them company.", commented Darcy.

"Yup.", said Lizzie as she put her feet up.

Aunt Catherine wanted to give them some privacy, so she inquired after Lizzie's parents. "Liz, where are your parents? I would love to make their acquaintance. It's only right, considering that we're family now."

"Hold on, let me introduce you-", Lizzie offered.

"Don't be silly! Rest your feet. I am more than capable of introducing myself. Just show me who they are and I will go."

Lizzie pointed in the general direction of where her parents were sitting and said, "You see that woman with the hat and the man sitting next to her playing with the feathers? Those are my parents…"

"I'm sure they're… pleasant people. They're _your_ parents, after all. See you two later.", she said before walking away.

"I hope my mom doesn't do anything embarrassing…", Lizzie worried as she watched Catherine getting closer to her parents.

"Your father is there. It should be okay.", Darcy said with a soft laugh.

* * *

The emcee announced that it was time to eat. The servers were making their rounds and were being supervised by the matchmaker/wedding planner/master of ceremonies. Everything had turned out flawlessly and she believed it was all because she was doing it herself. She was running the show from behind the scenes the entire time.

 _"If you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself.",_ she thought proudly as she looked out at all the people looking cheerful and receiving their first courses with delight. She picked out the menu herself as well, since Jamie was so indecisive.

"Emma! I brought you a plate of food. You _have_ to eat something. You've been running around all day."

She was broken out of her trance by her life-long friend and business partner, Alex Knightley.

"I'm not hungry. I'm too preoccupied to think about food right now. Maybe later, Knightley."

"Your father was right to ask me to tag along. Emma, if you don't eat, I'll be forced to call your old man. You _know_ how big of a health-nut he is."

"Ugh. Fine. Let me go wash my hands. Find us somewhere to sit.", she commanded as she headed to the ladies room.

She had washed her hands and was retouching some of her make-up, when Lizzie walked out of a bathroom stall.

Lizzie was washing her hands and she commented, "Wow, this soap is great. My hands feel really soft."

Emma replied, "Yeah, I had them put in my favorite hand soap. There shouldn't be _any_ reason for complaint by the end of the night. Not even about the soap. I planned _everything_."

" _You_ did this?", Lizzie asked as she dried her hands.

"Oh, how rude. I am Emma Woodhouse, head of the Highbury Group's Love and Lifestyle Division. I put the Collins' wedding and reception together. I also put _them_ together.", she answered with a smile, sticking her hand out for a shake.

Lizzie shook her hand and mid-shake she exclaimed, "We've met before!"

"Have we? I meet a lot of people, I'm sorry if I don't recall."

"You were in a hair salon in San Francisco! You were talking to somebody about table cloths! You said you had a wedding the next month… it must have been Ricky's!"

"Hmm… Oh, I remember you! You were the pregnant woman that was celebrating the anniversary! Wow, what a coincidence! How do you know the Collins'?"

"I don't know Jamie but I _do_ know Ricky. He and I grew up in the same neighborhood."

"Really? Has he always been so…?"

"Aggravating? Yes, yes he has.", Lizzie answered with a laugh. "Oh, my name is Lizzie, by the way. Lizzie Bennet."

"Nice to meet you again, Lizzie Bennet. I don't believe in mere coincidences, though. Our meeting again has to mean something. Here is my business card…", she said after taking out a card out of her clutch and searching for a pen. "…and here is my cell. If you ever find yourself in need of a matchmaker, wedding planner, life coach, or whatever, just give me a call. I'm versatile."

"Thank you. You did a great job with the wedding and the reception."

"Of course. Everything with my name attached to it has to be _Emma Approved_.", she said with a wink and held the door open for Lizzie.

 _"I really like this woman. She's spunky.",_ Lizzie thought as they went their separate ways.

Their ways turned out to be not so separate after all; they both ended up walking to the table where Lizzie and Darcy were seated.

"We meet again, Lizzie.", Emma said with a smile.

"We do. It's weird, huh?", Lizzie smiled back as she took her seat.

"There you are, Emma. I was hoping you'd return quickly. I had no idea Mr. Darcy knew this Collins guy... Mr. Darcy, this is Emma Woodhouse of Highbury Group. Emma, this is Mr. Darcy of Pemberley Digital. He's the man behind the software we're interested for your documentary."

"Oh! Hello, Mr. Darcy. Nice to meet you. I'm looking forward to starting my documentary next month."

"And Pemberley Digital is looking forward to providing you with a good system. We have beta'd with the Domino application and we think we've got all the bugs fixed. This will be a variation of Domino and you'll be the only one who has it.", Darcy replied.

Lizzie was just sitting there smiling politely. She didn't want to interrupt the business talk but Emma brought her into the conversation.

"I'm documenting my greatness, Lizzie. I know it may sound a little conceited but it's true. I want to document the way I make people's lives better so that when I receive my prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in Lifestyle Excellence, they'll have clips of my good deeds playing on the screen behind me as I give my acceptance speech.", she said confidently with a far-away look in her eyes.

"Lizzie, I was not aware that you knew Miss Woodhouse.", commented Darcy with surprise.

"I didn't until a few minutes ago. She and I ran into each other last month at a hair salon. The day of our six month anniversary, actually. She was the one who told me I was head-over-heels for you.", she smiled. "And then I recognized her in the bathroom and we exchanged names."

"Wait, you are dating Mr. Darcy? Wow! I guessed our paths would have crossed eventually, even without this wedding. He's been in contact with Knightley since VidCon. We went there in search of potential customers and to seek out a program just like the one we've secured with Pemberley Digital. I guess California isn't so big after all!"

It was Darcy's turn to introduce his girl. "Mr. Knightley, this is my girlfriend, Elizabeth Bennet. Lizzie, this is Alex Knightley of Highbury Group."

"He handles all the boring stuff.", Emma whispered loudly.

"The _important_ boring stuff.", he amended.

Lizzie wanted to ask if they were together but she figured that would be rude. The two of them sat with Lizzie and Darcy and the rest of the table until dinner was over and Emma and Knightley had to resume their duties.

"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Darcy. And it was nice meeting you _again_ , Lizzie. You have my number. Call me!", Emma said before strutting away. Knightley shook Darcy's hand and waved to Lizzie before chasing after Emma.

"I like her.", stated Lizzie. "I think I'd like her to plan our wedding, Will. What do you think?"

"She's doing a great job with this one. Whatever you want, my love.", Darcy responded. "However, we might end up on that documentary of hers... Will my life ever be free of video cameras?"

Lizzie laughed. "Nope. It seems that the digital gods have taken a shine to you."

* * *

The dance floor opened back up and Charlotte came to steal Lizzie away from Darcy for a song or two. Darcy took the opportunity to ask Gigi for a dance.

"So Char… I see you've been chatting up Patrick Fields all evening.", Lizzie teased.

"Yeah. He's really interesting."

" _Interesting_ , huh? Did you know he's Caroline's boyfriend's little brother?"

"Yes. You know, she came up to me and was acting super weird. Like, _nice._ And I couldn't sense any fake vibes."

"She's changed, Char! And you have _her_ to thank for your new _interesting_ friend. If she wouldn't have called Ricky to squeeze them in at last minute, you and Lydia would be out of luck."

Charlotte just rolled her eyes and twirled Lizzie around.

After another song, Mr. Bennet appeared to request a dance with his daughter.

"We do this at every wedding, Lizzie. You know the deal.", he said. At every wedding they attended, Mr. Bennet always danced with each of his girls. He had already danced with his eldest and his youngest, leaving his favorite for last.

"If someone had told me that the next time we danced, we'd have big belly between us, I would've assumed that your mother's cooking would be the culprit, not my granddaughter."

"You're preaching to the choir, dad.", she said with a chuckle.

"Next time we dance, it'll probably be at Jane's wedding. Or _yours_. Even Lydia. There's no telling anymore with you girls. You've all done some pretty unforeseen things this past year... Jane moved _twice_ , you're giving us our first _grandchild_ , and then Lydia's incident… But that's a part of growing up, I guess. Changing. I remember when you girls would dance on my feet and now you're all grown…"

Mr. Bennet sighed. His eyes were glossy and Lizzie was going to address it but the song ended.

"Go on back to Darcy, Ellie. I've got to go see what your mom's up to.", he said with a smile.

"Wait, Dad." She gave her dad a hug before he could get too far.

* * *

Emma strode to the middle of the dance floor with the mic and cleared her throat.

"Good evening, guests of the new Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Collins! It's about time for the bouquet toss! All the unmarried ladies, please make your way to the dance floor!"

Mrs. Bennet got up to get a good look at the group of women. "One of our girls is gonna catch it, honey! I can feel it in my bones!", she said before leaving Mr. Bennet at the table.

Caroline, Jane, Lizzie, Charlotte, Gigi, Lydia, and Mary were all huddled together behind Jamie with all the other unmarried female guests. Lizzie stood on the edge of the group just in case things got a little crazy. She didn't want to get tackled and hurt herself.

"One... two... three!", Jamie counted before tossing the bouquet behind her.

The spot light landed on Jane Bennet, whose long arm held the flowers up in the air.

People clapped for her and Emma said into the mic, "Alright! This lovely lady caught the bouquet! What's your name?"

"Jane Bennet.", she answered happily.

"Give it up for Jane Bennet, everyone! Now let's see who will catch the garter."

Mrs. Bennet cheered on the sidelines and yelled, "That's my daughter!"

Mr. Bennet sat at their table, amused. _"Well, I'll be. Franny was right."_

Knightley brought a chair to the middle of the dance floor for Jamie to sit on. Ricky Collins was going to have to remove the garter from his new wife's thigh. They decided to go for the less scandalous version, so he removed it with his hands instead of his teeth.

"Alright! All the unmarried men! Get your butts onto the dance floor. One of you gents is going to catch this garter and dance with the lovely Jane Bennet!"

Bing was the first one on the dance floor. He was really eager to catch it. All the guys stood around waiting for Ricky to throw it. Darcy hated this tradition and swore up and down that he would not have it at _his_ wedding. He stood as far back as possible in order to have the least likely chance of catching it. Bing was in the middle and was ready to pounce.

"One, two, three!", Ricky counted before he threw the garter.

The spot light landed on none other than William Darcy. It hit him in the chest and he caught it because of his reflexes. _"Damn it! Just like the Gibson wedding. Except I don't get to dance with Lizzie..."_

"Give it up for Mr. William Darcy! Get ready to dance with Miss Bennet!"

Bing was slightly disappointed but he got over it quickly. "Don't embarrass my girl, Darcy.", Bing warned playfully.

"I will try my best to avoid doing so."

Jane and Darcy stepped onto the dance floor together and began dancing when the music started. Darcy thanked his lucky stars he'd taken those lessons because if he hadn't, he'd have danced horribly like the last time. He would have had awkward wedding dances with two thirds of the Bennet girls.

"You're doing great, Darcy.", Jane said, smiling.

"Thank you, Jane. You, too.", he smiled back. How could he ever have thought she smiled too much?

"I'm sorry to spring this on you so last-minute, Darcy, but I want to throw Lizzie a baby shower tomorrow afternoon. It's the only the time we'll all be together. We're all going to be there for Isabella's birth but before then, I don't think we'll be able to gather like this without it affecting out jobs or school. What do you say, Darcy? Can you keep Lizzie busy tomorrow morning and then bring her over to my parents' house for 'lunch'?"

"Gladly."

"Great. I've already told my parents and everyone else at Netherfield and Charlotte and my cousin. So everyone is going to be there."

"I will leave my credit card with Georgiana. Please, buy whatever you need to make tomorrow special. I honestly hadn't thought about a baby shower…"

"It's okay. It slipped everyone's minds. Especially Lizzie's. That's why it'll be a great surprise."

They danced together gracefully and then Darcy escorted Jane back to Bing's side before returning to Lizzie.

Mrs. Bennet was over the moon. "You know what this means, right, Thomas?"

"What, that _Jane and Darcy_ are going to be wed?", he answered sarcastically.

"Oh, don't be silly! It means that Jane and Darcy are next in line to get married! Not to each other but to Bing and Lizzie!"

"That's common sense, dear. I didn't have to watch them catch bouquets and garters to come to that conclusion."

" _I know_! But it's a sign!"

* * *

Before the night was over, the newlyweds made their rounds to every table to thanks their guests for coming and that was when they all got the chance to meet Jamie formally.

"She's so sweet. And Ricky is different with her.", noted Lizzie.

"Yes, I did find him less irritating than usual in her presence.", Darcy joked.

Emma spoke into the mic once more to announce the departure of the Collins' and the end of the festivities.

Everyone said their goodbyes in the parking lot but for most of them the party wasn't over. Darcy and Lizzie were dropped off at Netherfield and Lydia and Charlotte took their places as they all went to Carter's to continue the fun. Lydia had gotten Carlos to break out of shell a little and Charlotte still thought Patrick was _interesting_.

_Lizzie: Keep an eye on your brothers with my sisters, Aaron!_

_Aaron: Will do, Elizabeth. :P_

Lizzie was pooped. After watching a little bit of television with Darcy after they changed, she wanted to sleep.

"I think I'm gonna go upstairs, babe. I'm sleepy. Good night.", she said getting up from the couch and giving him a good night kiss.

"Tomorrow morning would you like to go out and do something? I believe your mother is hosting a luncheon and we'd have nothing to do before then."

"Sure. We can invite everyone else and make it a group thing."

"Actually, I was thinking it might be just us. We'll see everyone at your parents' house anyway."

Lizzie yawned. "Okay. I'm looking forward to it."

"Good night, Lizzie.", he said. He watched her climb the stairs and when she was out of sight, he texted Jane.

_Darcy: She accepted my invitation for a date tomorrow morning. We shall be gone until you let me know everything is ready._

_Jane: Perfect. :)_

* * *

**There we have it! Ricky Collins is a married man and Lizzie and Emma are best buds now! If you guys don't know who Emma Woodhouse is, watch _Emma Approved_ on YouTube! It's a modern adaptation of Jane Austen's novel _Emma_. They are on winter hiatus until February, so you have plenty of time to catch up! It's different than the LBD but it's also really good!**

I made some EA sims [here](I%20edited%20the%20first%20part%20of%20last%20chapter,%20if%20y'all%20wanna%20go%20back%20and%20give%20it%20a%20second%20read.%20Nothing%20plot-changing,%20so%20it's%20totally%20optional.%20%20It's%20just%20that%20before,%20Lizzie%20was%20in%20a%20hot%20tub%20and%20that%20is%20bad%20news%20for%20baby.%20It%20may%20be%20common%20sense%20for%20you%20guys%20but%20I%20didn't%20know%20how%20hot%20hot%20tubs%20actually%20got.%20\(Then%20why%20are%20you%20writing%20about%20them%20if%20you%20don't%20know?!\)%20Well,%20I've%20never%20been%20pregnant%20either%20lol%20and%20if%20I%20followed%20that%20rule%20then%20we%20wouldn't%20have%20this%20fic.%20Sorry!%20I%20should've%20researched%20it,%20though.%20All%20of%20you%20ladies%20that%20have%20been%20pregnant%20probably%20get%20annoyed%20with%20some%20of%20my%20inaccuracies,%20but%20please%20let%20me%20know%20if%20something%20sounds%20totally%20crazy.%20Thanks%20for%20pointing%20out%20the%20hot%20tub%20thing,%20Jen!%20%20As%20for%20flying%20while%20preggers,%20for%20our%20Lizzie,%20I%20think%20it's%20okay.%20Her%20iron%20deficiency%20was%20detected%20and%20handled.%20She's%20not%20flying%20alone%20so%20she%20doesn't%20have%20to%20do%20any%20work.%20She%20still%20has%20over%20a%20month%20before%20her%20due%20date.%20She%20got%20a%20check-up%20and%20little%20Izzy%20was%20cool%20and%20the%20doc%20gave%20the%20OK.%20And%20I%20know%20I've%20never%20specified%20where%20exactly%20Lizzie's%20hometown%20is%20\(somewhere%20in%20the%20middle%20of%20California,%20maybe?%20Like%20close%20to%20the%20border%20between%20Nevada%20and%20California%20since%20Lydia%20drove%20to%20Vegas%20and%20she%20also%20drove%20to%20LA%20to%20visit%20Jane.%20That%20makes%20sense,%20right?\)%20but%20the%20flight%20isn't%20long%20enough%20to%20cause%20concern.%20They%20just%20fly%20'cause%20it's%20faster%20than%20driving.%20I%20researched%20the%20idea%20of%20her%20flying%20while%20in%20the%20last%20trimester%20to%20make%20sure%20it%20was%20okay%20\(unlike%20the%20hot%20tub%20lol%20FAIL\).%20%20Also,%20like,%20every%20character%20ever%20mentioned%20in%20the%20LBD%20gets%20a%20little%20cameo%20this%20chapter%20lol.%20So%20it's%20like%20a%20mash-up%20of%20people.%20I%20hope%20I%20did%20a%20decent%20job%20writing%20this!%20It%20really%20is%20a%20challenge%20to%20get%20things%20from%20your%20brain%20into%20writing,%20something%20I%20have%20learned%20over%20the%20course%20of%20writing%20this%20fic.%20%20This%20chapter%20is%20a%20long%20one.%20Over%206K!%20Didn't%20wanna%20split%20it!%20%20Anyway,%20on%20to%20the%20wedding%20weekend!%20%20When%20Lizzie,%20Darcy,%20and%20Gigi%20landed%20in%20Lizzie's%20hometown,%20they%20went%20straight%20to%20Netherfield%20to%20get%20settled.%20Lizzie%20informed%20her%20parents%20that%20they%20need%20not%20make%20any%20modifications%20to%20the%20house%20because%20she%20was%20not%20going%20to%20sleep%20over%20there.%20Bing%20and%20Jane%20had%20arrived%20earlier%20in%20the%20day%20and%20had%20fixed%20up%20multiple%20rooms%20for%20them%20all.%20Everyone%20was%20flying%20in%20for%20this%20wedding.%20%20Lizzie%20was%20relieved%20when%20they%20were%20finally%20in%20the%20rental%20and%20on%20the%20way%20home.%20She%20felt%20as%20if%20she%20was%20being%20treated%20like%20she%20was%20made%20of%20glass%20at%20the%20airport.%20Darcy%20had%20arranged%20for%20the%20airline%20to%20provide%20a%20wheelchair%20for%20her%20so%20she%20wouldn't%20have%20to%20stand%20in%20lines%20or%20walk%20around%20the%20airport.%20She%20was%20grateful%20for%20the%20chair,%20but%20hated%20being%20the%20source%20of%20so%20much%20fuss.%20%20Lizzie%20and%20Darcy%20went%20to%20Darcy's%20old%20room%20and%20Gigi%20took%20the%20room%20that%20Lizzie%20stayed%20in%20the%20previous%20summer.%20As%20Gigi%20had%20never%20been%20to%20Netherfield,%20she%20was%20exploring%20when%20she%20ran%20into%20Lizzie.%20%20%22Don't%20get%20too%20comfortable,%20Gigi.%22,%20Lizzie%20warned%20her.%20%22We're%20just%20gonna%20drop%20our%20stuff%20off.%20Bing%20and%20Jane%20are%20already%20at%20my%20parents'.%20You'll%20finally%20get%20to%20meet%20them.%20And%20Lydia's%20home,%20too!%22%20%20%22Yeah,%20we%20text%20each%20other%20all%20the%20time.%20I'm%20supposed%20to%20go%20to%20the%20movies%20with%20her%20and%20your%20cousin%20Mary%20tonight.%22,%20Gigi%20said%20with%20a%20smile.%20%20They%20rang%20the%20doorbell%20at%20the%20Bennet%20home%20and%20Mrs.%20Bennet%20ran%20for%20the%20door.%20%20%22I'll%20get%20it!%20That%20must%20be%20Elizabeth!%20Oh,%20I%20can't%20wait%20to%20see%20that%20belly!%22,%20she%20exclaimed.%20%20When%20Mrs.%20Bennet%20opened%20the%20door,%20she%20squealed%20with%20delight%20and%20hugged%20Lizzie%20tightly.%20She%20was%20over%20the%20moon%20with%20how%20big%20Lizzie's%20belly%20had%20grown%20and%20she%20thought%20the%20extra%20pounds%20looked%20lovely%20on%20her%20daughter.%20%20%22Oh,%20Lizzie,%20look%20at%20you!%22,%20she%20raved.%20%20%22Hi,%20Mom.%20I'd%20love%20to%20chat,%20but%20could%20we%20do%20this%20inside?%20Also,%20you%20have%20yet%20to%20greet%20William%20and%20his%20little%20sister,%20Georgiana.%22%20%20%22My%20apologies!%20Hey%20there,%20Darcy,%20dear!%20What're%20you%20standing%20there%20for?%20Come%20give%20me%20a%20hug!%22,%20she%20ordered.%20%20Darcy%20laughed%20and%20hugged%20his%20future%20mother-in-law.%20%22Hello,%20Francine.%20You%20look%20well.%20Allow%20me%20to%20introduce%20my%20sister,%20Georgiana%20Darcy.%22%20%20Gigi%20smiled%20and%20waved.%20%22Hi,%20Mrs.%20Bennet.%20Please,%20call%20me%20Gigi.%22%20%20%22Well,%20aren't%20you%20cute%20as%20a%20button?!%20Call%20me%20Francine!%20The%20Darcys%20are%20a%20handsome%20family.%20My%20grandbaby%20is%20gonna%20be%20beautiful!%20Come%20over%20here,%20Gigi,%20dear.%22,%20Mrs.%20Bennet%20said%20opening%20her%20arms%20for%20a%20hug.%20%20Gigi%20hugged%20her%20and%20thought%20to%20herself%20that%20her%20brother%20was%20right;%20Mrs.%20Bennet's%20hugs%20were%20the%20absolute%20best.%20%20%22Come%20on%20in,%20everybody.%20Jane%20and%20Bing%20are%20here.%20Dinner's%20just%20about%20ready,%20so%20don't%20eat%20anythin'!%22,%20she%20warned%20them%20as%20she%20let%20them%20in%20the%20house.%20%20They%20walked%20to%20the%20living%20room,%20where%20Jane,%20Bing,%20Mr.%20Bennet,%20and%20Lydia%20were%20watching%20some%20old%20home%20videos.%20%20%22Lizzie!%22,%20they%20all%20said%20when%20Lizzie%20walked%20in.%20Everyone%20was%20so%20happy%20to%20see%20that%20her%20pregnancy%20was%20going%20well.%20%20%22You%20look%20beautiful,%20Lizzie!%22,%20Jane%20said%20as%20she%20got%20up%20to%20hug%20her.%20%20%22Thank%20you,%20Janie.%20You%20do,%20too,%20as%20always.%22,%20Lizzie%20said%20with%20a%20big%20smile.%20%22Hey,%20Bing!%22%20%20Mr.%20Bennet%20hugged%20Darcy%20and%20shook%20his%20hand%20before%20asking,%20%22And%20who's%20this%20lovely%20young%20lady?%22%20%20%22Thomas,%20this%20is%20my%20younger%20sister,%20Georgiana%20Darcy.%22,%20Darcy%20answered.%20%20%22Nice%20to%20meet%20you,%20Mr.%20Bennet.%20Please,%20call%20me%20Gigi.%22%20%20%22And%20you%20can%20call%20me%20Thomas.%22,%20he%20said%20shaking%20her%20hand.%20%20%22So%20this%20is%20Gigi%20Darcy?%20It's%20so%20good%20to%20finally%20meet%20you.%22,%20Jane%20said%20sweetly.%20%20%22Likewise,%20Jane.%20I%20love%20your%20fashion%20sense!%22,%20Gigi%20commented.%20She%20had%20always%20admired%20Jane's%20style%20from%20Lizzie's%20videos.%20%20%22Gigi!%22,%20Lydia%20said%20excitedly.%20The%20girls%20squawked%20and%20ran%20to%20each%20other%20for%20a%20big%20bear%20hug.%20%22Come%20on,%20let's%20go%20to%20my%20room!%20You%20have%20to%20fill%20me%20in%20on%20this%20Sidney%20guy%E2%80%A6%22%20%20%22Shhh!%22,%20Gigi%20shushed%20her.%20The%20girls%20ran%20up%20the%20stairs%20and%20disappeared%20into%20Lydia's%20room.%20%20%22Ellie%E2%80%A6%22%20%20%22Dad,%20I%20told%20you%20not%20to%20call%20me%20that%E2%80%A6%22,%20she%20said%20before%20making%20her%20way%20to%20Mr.%20Bennet.%20%20He%20rubbed%20her%20belly%20and%20sighed.%20%22Wow.%20You%20look%20fantastic,%20honey.%22%20%20%22Yeah%20right,%20Dad.%20I%20look%20like%20I%20swallowed%20a%20watermelon.%22,%20she%20joked.%20%20The%20rest%20of%20the%20visit%20was%20spent%20eating%20and%20in%20good%20company.%20Mrs.%20Bennet%20asked%20her%20daughters%20to%20help%20her%20decide%20which%20hat%20to%20wear%20to%20the%20wedding%20tomorrow%20and%20Mr.%20Bennet%20had%20taken%20Bing%20and%20Darcy%20into%20his%20study%20to%20chat.%20He%20was%20very%20pleased%20to%20see%20that%20his%20daughters%20looked%20happy%20and%20he%20thanked%20them.%20He%20also%20jokingly%20threatened%20that%20they%20had%20better%20keep%20it%20that%20way.%20%20The%20Bennet%20sisters%20and%20their%20men%20returned%20to%20Netherfield%20where%20they%20spent%20the%20rest%20of%20the%20night%20hanging%20out%20and%20awaiting%20Fitz%20and%20Brandon,%20who%20were%20also%20invited%20to%20the%20wedding.%20It%20seems%20that%20Ricky%20Collins%20left%20no%20stone%20unturned%20when%20it%20came%20to%20inviting%20people%20to%20his%20big%20day.%20Anyone%20he%20might%20have%20a%20slight%20connection%20with%20received%20an%20invitation.%20%20%22This%20is%20how%20I%20like%20to%20see%20my%20home;%20filled%20with%20loved%20ones.%22,%20Bing%20stated%20happily%20after%20Brandon%20and%20Fitz%20arrived.%20%20The%20next%20morning%20was%20a%20sunny%20Saturday%20with%20perfect%20wedding%20weather.%20While%20everyone%20ate%20breakfast,%20they%20heard%20the%20front%20door%20open.%20%20%22I%20wasn't%20aware%20that%20we%20were%20expecting%20anyone%20else.%22,%20said%20Darcy.%20%20Bing%20smiled%20and%20yelled%20out,%20%22We're%20in%20the%20dining%20room!%22%20%20They%20heard%20the%20clacking%20of%20heels%20and%20then%20watched%20as%20Caroline%20Lee%20appeared.%20%20%22Good%20morning,%20everyone.%22,%20she%20said%20happily.%20She%20was%20certainly%20a%20changed%20woman.%20Her%20presence%20would've%20been%20a%20source%20of%20awkwardness%20before,%20but%20now%20she%20was%20part%20of%20the%20crew.%20Everyone%20had%20seen%20how%20she%20apologized%20to%20Lizzie%20and%20they%20could%20all%20see%20the%20difference%20in%20her%20behavior.%20%20%22You%20look%20great,%20Caroline!%22,%20Bing%20commented%20before%20hugging%20his%20big%20sister.%20%20%22Always,%20baby%20brother.%20Always.%22,%20she%20answered%20with%20a%20flip%20of%20her%20hair%20over%20her%20shoulder.%20%20%22Caroline,%20are%20you%20here%20for%20the%20wedding?%22,%20Jane%20asked.%20Not%20even%20she%20had%20known%20Caroline%20was%20coming.%20%22Hmm%E2%80%A6%20it%20makes%20sense%20considering%20we%20fixed%20up%20Caroline's%20room,%20too,%20but%20that%20still%20leaves%20two%20other%20bed%20rooms%20that%20we%20fixed%E2%80%A6%22,%20Jane%20thought.%20%20%22Yes,%20we%20came%20for%20the%20wedding.%22,%20she%20replied.%20%20%22We?%22,%20asked%20Lizzie.%20%20%22Get%20over%20here,%20you%20three!%22,%20Caroline%20ordered%20before%20stalking%20away%20and%20returning%20with%20Aaron%20Fields%20and%20two%20other%20men.%20%20%22Aaron?%22,%20Lizzie%20and%20Darcy%20asked%20in%20unison.%20%20%22Hey,%20Elizabeth.%20Darcy.%22,%20he%20said%20with%20a%20salute.%20%20Caroline%20cleared%20her%20throat.%20%22Everyone,%20this%20is%20my%20boyfriend%20Aaron%20Fields.%20Aaron,%20this%20is%20my%20little%20brother%20Bing.%20That's%20his%20girlfriend-%22%20%20%22Jane,%20yeah,%20I%20know%20her%20from%20Lizzie's%20videos.%20And%20Fitz.%20And%20Gigi.%20And%20I'm%20assuming%20you're%20Brandon?%22%20%20Bing%20and%20Aaron%20shook%20hands%20and%20then%20Caroline%20kept%20the%20introductions%20going.%20%22And%20these%20two%20are%20Aaron's%20younger%20brothers,%20Carlos%20and%20Patrick.%22%20%20%22Wow,%20Aaron,%20even%20your%20brothers%20are%20hot.%22,%20Lizzie%20commented%20as%20she%20waved%20at%20them.%20One%20of%20them%20looked%20no%20older%20than%2021%20and%20the%20other%20seemed%20to%20be%20about%20Lizzie's%20age.%20%20Darcy%20rolled%20his%20eyes%20in%20response%20and%20then%20smiled.%20Lizzie%20stuck%20her%20tongue%20out%20at%20him.%20She%20liked%20to%20push%20his%20buttons%20every%20now%20and%20again.%20%20%22Wow,%20it%20really%20is%20a%20full%20house.%20Almost%20all%20the%20bedrooms%20are%20occupied.%20Nice%20to%20meet%20you,%20Fields%20brothers.%20Make%20yourselves%20at%20home.%22,%20Bing%20greeted%20them%20warmly.%20%20By%204pm,%20everyone%20at%20Netherfield%20was%20ready.%20All%20the%20ladies%20looked%20gorgeous%20and%20the%20men%20looked%20dapper.%20Even%20Lizzie,%20who%20felt%20like%20the%20ugly%20duckling%20of%20the%20group%20since%20all%20the%20other%20women%20weren't%2040lbs%20too%20heavy%20like%20she%20was,%20couldn't%20turn%20down%20a%20compliment%20that%20day.%20%22Jane%20Bennet%20works%20miracles!%22,%20Lizzie%20thought%20as%20she%20looked%20in%20the%20mirror%20one%20last%20time%20before%20heading%20downstairs%20with%20the%20rest%20of%20the%20girls.%20%20The%20guys%20were%20all%20waiting%20in%20the%20living%20room%20and%20when%20the%20group%20of%20women%20started%20to%20descend.%20They%20all%20watched%20like%20it%20was%20a%20fashion%20show.%20Aaron,%20Bing,%20and%20Darcy%20were%20all%20dumbstruck%20with%20how%20beautiful%20their%20girlfriends%20looked.%20%20%22We%20all%20look%20mighty%20fine,%20if%20I%20do%20say%20so%20myself!%20Let's%20go!%20I'm%20dying%20to%20see%20if%20to%20see%20if%20this%20wasn't%20all%20an%20elaborate%20hoax%20orchestrated%20by%20Ricky%20Collins!%22,%20Fitz%20joked.%20%20They%20coupled%20up%20and%20started%20walking%20towards%20the%20front%20door.%20As%20they%20walked%20toward%20the%20car%20arm-in-arm,%20Darcy%20whispered%20into%20Lizzie's%20ear,%20%22My%20heart%20skipped%20a%20beat%20when%20you%20came%20down%20the%20stairs.%20The%20next%20time%20you%20plan%20on%20looking%20so%20beautiful,%20you%20should%20warn%20me%20so%20that%20I%20may%20brace%20myself.%22%20%20Lizzie%20tried%20her%20best%20to%20hide%20her%20smile,%20but%20her%20efforts%20were%20futile.%20It%20was%20cheesy,%20but%20she%20knew%20he%20meant%20it.%20She%20blushed%20a%20little%20and%20gave%20Darcy%20a%20quick%20kiss%20on%20the%20cheek%20before%20he%20helped%20her%20into%20their%20rental.%20It%20left%20a%20lipstick%20mark%20on%20him%20and%20she%20wanted%20to%20leave%20it%20but%20decided%20against%20it%20and%20wiped%20it%20away.%20Darcy%20and%20Lizzie%20were%20riding%20with%20Gigi,%20Fitz,%20and%20Brandon%20while%20Bing%20and%20Jane%20rode%20with%20Caroline%20and%20the%20Fields%20brothers.%20%20They%20arrived%20at%20the%20local%20church%20and%20greeted%20many%20familiar%20faces%20in%20the%20parking%20lot.%20They%20immediately%20started%20mingling.%20Mrs.%20Bennet%20was%20already%20there%20and%20was%20boasting%20about%20Lizzie's%20pregnancy%20to%20Mary%20Bennet%20and%20her%20parents.%20%20%22Oh%20look!%20There%20she%20is!%20And%20look%20at%20her%20handsome%20boyfriend!%20See?%20I%20was%20not%20exaggeratin'!%22,%20she%20claimed.%20%20%22Aunt%20Franny,%20we%20all%20met%20him%20the%20last%20time%20they%20were%20in%20town%E2%80%A6%22,%20Mary%20said,%20annoyed.%20Her%20tone%20didn't%20phase%20her%20Mrs.%20B,%20however.%20%20The%20Lu%20family%20had%20also%20just%20arrived%20and%20Mr.%20and%20Mrs.%20Lu%20were%20pleased%20to%20see%20Lizzie.%20They%20knew%20she%20was%20pregnant%20because%20of%20Charlotte,%20but%20they%20hadn't%20seen%20her%20in%20forever.%20%20%22Hey,%20Maria!%22,%20Lizzie%20said%20excitedly%20before%20hugging%20her.%20She%20hadn't%20seen%20her%20bestie's%20little%20sister%20in%20so%20long.%20%20%22Char!%22,%20Lizzie%20called%20out%20when%20she%20found%20Charlotte.%20They%20hugged%20each%20other%20tightly%20and%20Charlotte%20commented%20on%20the%20size%20of%20Lizzie's%20belly,%20like%20everyone%20else.%20%20%22You%20look%20great%20though,%20Lizzie.%20The%20pregnancy%20glow%20is%20in%20full%20effect.%22,%20she%20complimented.%20%20%22You%20look%20amazing,%20too!%20I%20love%20your%20hair%20like%20that.%20Short%20and%20sophisticated.%22,%20Lizzie%20responded.%20%20%22Lizzie,%20I%20have%20been%20looking%20for%20you%20all%20over.%20It%20is%20time%20to%20go%20in.%22,%20Darcy%20interrupted%20their%20chat.%20%22Hello,%20Charlotte.%20You%20look%20lovely...%20Shall%20we,%20ladies?%22%20%20Lizzie%20and%20Charlotte%20each%20took%20one%20of%20Darcy's%20arms%20and%20walked%20into%20the%20church.%20%20Everyone%20eagerly%20awaited%20the%20bride%20of%20the%20groom.%20Ricky%20Collins%20looked%20extremely%20nervous%20when%20the%20organ%20began%20to%20play%20the%20familiar%20tune%20announcing%20the%20bride's%20imminent%20approach.%20%20The%20woman%20marched%20slowly%20down%20the%20aisle,%20with%20a%20young%20girl%20holding%20the%20tail%20of%20her%20gown%20and%20her%20face%20covered%20by%20a%20veil.%20All%20those%20who%20were%20anticipating%20the%20woman's%20face%20felt%20trolled.%20Lizzie%20couldn't%20help%20but%20squeeze%20Darcy's%20hand%20because%20she%20could%20see%20herself%20in%20Jamie.%20She%20was%20looking%20forward%20to%20getting%20married.%20Not%20now,%20but%20whenever%20they%20decided%20the%20time%20was%20right.%20%20The%20moment%20of%20truth%20finally%20arrived.%20Ricky%20lifted%20the%20veil%20from%20her%20face%20and%20the%20woman%20who%20was%20about%20to%20become%20Jamie%20Collins%20was%20actually%20very%20pretty.%20Nothing%20like%20they%20had%20expected.%20She%20had%20caramel%20skin,%20curly%20dark%20hair%20and%20eyes,%20and%20a%20very%20pretty%20face.%20She%20also%20gave%20off%20this%20really%20placid%20vibe,%20so%20they%20could%20all%20sense%20that%20she%20had%20the%20patience%20necessary%20to%20be%20with%20Ricky%20for%20the%20rest%20of%20her%20life.%20%20%22Damn,%20even%20Ricky%20Collins%20got%20game!%20Shame%20on%20you,%20Darcy,%20if%20you%20wouldn't%20have%20caught%20Lizzie!%22,%20Fitz%20whispered%20loudly,%20making%20the%20whole%20pew%20snicker.%20Luckily,%20the%20sound%20was%20masked%20by%20clapping%20because%20the%20priest%20had%20just%20pronounced%20the%20Collins'%20husband%20and%20wife.%20%20Everyone%20packed%20back%20into%20their%20cars%20to%20head%20to%20the%20location%20of%20the%20reception,%20which%20was%20beautifully%20decorated.%20It%20was%20a%20little%20extravagant%20for%20Lizzie's%20tastes,%20but%20still%20very%20nice.%20%20People%20made%20their%20way%20to%20their%20tables%20and%20awaited%20the%20female%20master%20of%20ceremonies%20to%20announce%20Mr.%20and%20Mrs.%20Ricky%20Collins%20on%20the%20dance%20floor.%20After%20their%20first%20dance,%20the%20floor%20was%20open%20to%20everyone%20and%20now%20was%20Darcy's%20time%20to%20shine.%20All%20the%20hours%20of%20dance%20practice%20were%20about%20to%20be%20put%20to%20use.%20%20It%20was%20a%20fun,%20fast-paced%20song%20that%20started%20playing%20and%20after%20all%20the%20other%20couples%20got%20up%20to%20dance,%20Darcy%20stood%20up%20and%20cleared%20his%20throat.%20%20%22Lizzie,%20would%20you%20care%20to%20dance?%22,%20Darcy%20asked%20confidently.%20%20%22What?%22,%20she%20asked,%20confused.%20She%20had%20already%20resolved%20to%20stay%20with%20Darcy%20whenever%20there%20was%20no%20one%20else%20left%20to%20keep%20him%20company%20at%20the%20table.%20%20%22Lizzie,%20do%20you%20wanna%20get%20your%20grove%20thing%20on?%22,%20Darcy%20asked%20again%20with%20a%20playful%20look%20in%20his%20eyes.%20%20Lizzie's%20eyes%20widened%20and%20she%20could%20not%20stop%20laughing.%20%22Oh%20my%20God.%20Yes,%20of%20course!%20How%20could%20I%20say%20no%20to%20that?%22%20%20He%20smiled%20because%20his%20plan%20worked%20perfectly.%20He%20got%20the%20response%20he%20expected%20and%20now%20all%20he%20had%20to%20do%20was%20dance%20properly%20so%20that%20his%20mission%20of%20surprising%20Lizzie%20would%20be%20complete.%20%20They%20neared%20the%20other%20couples,%20who%20were%20surprised%20to%20see%20Darcy%20willingly%20walking%20onto%20the%20dance%20floor%20with%20Lizzie.%20She%20started%20dancing%20and%20then%20Darcy%20matched%20her%20movements.%20%20%22No%20way%E2%80%A6%22,%20gasped%20Gigi.%20She%20was%20dancing%20with%20Lydia%20and%20was%20astonished.%20%22I%20have%20to%20record%20this!%22,%20she%20declared%20as%20she%20practically%20abandoned%20Lydia%20and%20got%20out%20her%20cell%20phone.%20%20Lizzie%20and%20Darcy%20seemed%20to%20be%20the%20center%20of%20attention%20on%20the%20dance%20floor.%20Their%20friends%20stared%20because%20Darcy%20was%20actually%20dancing%20and%20it%20looked%20good.%20The%20rest%20of%20the%20guests%20were%20staring%20because%20they%20either%20knew%20Lizzie%20or%20because%20they%20thought%20it%20was%20cool%20to%20see%20the%20pregnant%20lady%20dance.%20%20When%20the%20song%20ended,%20a%20lot%20of%20people%20were%20clapping%20for%20them%20and%20they%20walked%20back%20to%20their%20seats%20proudly.%20%20%22Will!%20You%20were%20great!%20When%20the%20hell%20did%20you%20learn%20to%20dance?%20I%20remember%20we%20tried%20and%20it%20didn't%20turn%20out%20so%20good.%22%20%20Darcy%20smiled%20and%20revealed%20the%20secret%20he'd%20been%20keeping%20for%20what%20seemed%20like%20ages.%20%22I%20took%20dancing%20lessons%20to%20surprise%20you,%20my%20love.%22%20%20%22Aww,%20babe!%20Well,%20you%20definitely%20surprised%20me.%22,%20she%20declared%20and%20gave%20him%20a%20congratulatory%20kiss.%20%20%22I%20did%20it.%22,%20he%20thought,%20feeling%20accomplished.%20%20%22Wow,%20Darceface,%20I%20didn't%20know%20you%20had%20it%20in%20you!%22,%20exclaimed%20Lydia%20when%20she%20reached%20their%20table.%20%22Whatttt!%22,%20she%20yelled%20and%20extended%20her%20hand.%20Darcy%20remembered%20Lydia%20used%20to%20do%20that%20in%20her%20videos,%20so%20he%20gave%20her%20a%20high-five%20and%20laughed.%20%20%22So,%20Lizzie,%20who's%20the%20hottie%20in%20the%20corner?!%22,%20Lydia%20inquired.%20She%20had%20been%20wary%20of%20men%20ever%20since%20the%20incident%20with%20you-know-who,%20but%20she%20was%20finally%20getting%20more%20confident.%20She%20hadn't%20dated%20anybody%20since,%20but%20wasn't%20averse%20to%20getting%20back%20in%20the%20game%20anymore.%20%20%22That%20hottie's%20name%20is%20Carlos.%20He's%20Caroline's%20boyfriend's%20little%20brother%E2%80%A6%20you%20know%20what?%20He%20doesn't%20know%20anyone%20here%20aside%20from%20his%20brothers.%20Maybe%20you%20should%20introduce%20yourself.%22%20%20%22You%20know%20what,%20sis?%20That%20sounds%20like%20a%20great%20idea%E2%80%A6%22,%20she%20said%20before%20walking%20towards%20Carlos.%20%20Lizzie%20smiled.%20%22Look,%20Will!%20She's%20interested%20in%20seeing%20guys%20again.%20I'm%20so%20happy%20for%20her.%22%20%20%22As%20am%20I.%20It%20is%20nice%20to%20see%20Lydia%20so%20energetic%E2%80%A6%20But%20the%20poor%20kid%20is%20no%20match%20for%20her.%20She%20is%20more%20extroverted%20than%20he%20is.%20Look%20at%20him;%20he%20doesn't%20even%20know%20how%20to%20talk%20to%20her.%20You%20would%20think%20with%20his%20looks%20he'd%20know%20a%20thing%20or%20two.%22%20%20Lizzie's%20jaw%20dropped%20after%20his%20little%20speil.%20%22Oh,%20and%20you're%20one%20to%20talk?%20The%20same%20thing%20could%20be%20said%20about%20us.%22%20%20Darcy's%20eyebrows%20rose%20in%20realization%20of%20the%20similarities%20between%20them%20and%20he%20suddenly%20became%20really%20thirsty.%20%20%22Mmhmm.%20No%20need%20to%20reply.%20You%20know%20I'm%20right.%22,%20Lizzie%20gloated.%20%20Not%20long%20after%20the%20party%20started,%20Catherine%20DeBourgh%20arrived%20to%20congratulate%20Mr.%20Collins%20on%20his%20matrimony.%20She%20couldn't%20make%20it%20to%20the%20actual%20wedding%20but%20she%20was%20pleased%20with%20the%20reception.%20%20%22Congratulations,%20Mr.%20Collins.%20I%20think%20it%20is%20splendid%20that%20you%20married.%20I%20encourage%20everyone%20to%20do%20so.%20And%20your%20wife%20is%20delightful%E2%80%A6%20However%20did%20you%20manage%20to%20secure%20her%20affections?%22%20%20%22We%20were%20set%20up.%20I%20was%20in%20Highbury%20on%20business%20and%20I%20saw%20an%20advertisement%20for%20a%20local%20matchmaking%20service.%20I%20had%20time%20to%20spare%20and%20I%20decided%20I%20had%20nothing%20to%20lose,%20so%20I%20met%20with%20the%20woman%20who%20runs%20the%20service.%20She%20profiled%20me%20and%20a%20few%20weeks%20later,%20I%20was%20on%20a%20date%20with%20Jamie.%20She%20and%20I%20have%20a%20lot%20in%20common.%20For%20example,%20we%20were%20both%20born%20in%20Manitoba!%20I%20moved%20to%20this%20town%20when%20I%20was%20three%20years%20old%20because%20my%20father%20had%20business%20here,%20but%20I%20went%20back%20to%20visit%20family%20every%20summer%20for%20many%20years!%20Oh,%20Manitoba%20is%20a%20wonderful%20place-%22%20%20%22Yes,%20yes.%20Very%20good,%20Mr.%20Collins.%20Have%20you%20seen%20my%20nephew?%20I%20know%20he%20and%20Liz%20are%20here.%22%20%20%22Ahh%20yes,%20let%20me%20escort%20you,%20Mrs.%20DeBourgh!%20I%20believe%20Mr.%20Darcy%20and%20Miss%20Bennet%20are%20seated%20in%20this%20direction.%22%20%20Darcy%20and%20Lizzie%20weren't%20seated,%20however.%20They%20were%20on%20the%20dance%20floor%20again.%20A%20slow%20dance%20this%20time.%20They%20were%20doing%20the%20swaying%20thing%20and%20were%20talking%20and%20laughing%20during%20the%20song.%20They%20looked%20so%20in-love%20and%20so%20right%20for%20each%20other%20as%20they%20shared%20a%20kiss.%20Jane%20and%20Bing%20gave%20Lizzie%20and%20Darcy%20a%20run%20for%20their%20money%20with%20all%20their%20smiling%20and%20googley%20eyes.%20Hell,%20even%20Caroline%20and%20Aaron%20looked%20like%20they'd%20been%20together%20for%20a%20while%20even%20though%20they'd%20only%20been%20dating%20for%20a%20couple%20of%20months.%20%20Mr.%20and%20Mrs.%20Bennet%20and%20Aunt%20Catherine%20all%20looked%20at%20their%20kids%20with%20pride%20and%20were%20just%20overjoyed%20for%20them.%20%20Catherine%20chatted%20with%20Gigi%20about%20Sanditon%20while%20she%20waited%20for%20the%20couple%20to%20return%20to%20their%20seats.%20%20%22My,%20my%20Liz,%20don't%20you%20look%20positively%20pregnant!%20You%20look%20gorgeous,%20I%20must%20say.%20And%20William,%20I%20don't%20believe%20I've%20ever%20seen%20you%20dance%20so%20elegantly.%20Elizabeth,%20whatever%20you're%20doing,%20keep%20it%20up%20because%20it%20has%20worked%20wonders!%22,%20Aunt%20Catherine%20exclaimed.%20%20Mr.%20Collins%20returned.%20%22Mr.%20Darcy!%20Do%20you%20mind%20if%20I%20steal%20Miss%20Bennet%20for%20a%20song?%20My%20wife%20and%20I%20would%20like%20to%20dance%20with%20all%20our%20closest%20friends!%22%20%20%22You%20consider%20me%20a%20close%20friend?%20Seriously?%22,%20she%20wondered%20aloud.%20%22Uhh,%20sorry%20Ricky.%20Maybe%20later?%20My%20feet%20hurt.%22%20Her%20feet%20were%20getting%20swollen%20so%20she%20was%20going%20to%20rest%20them%20on%20Darcy's%20lap%20for%20a%20little%20bit.%20%20%22Ahh,%20of%20course.%20Have%20any%20of%20you%20seen%20Ms.%20Lu?%22%20%20%22She's%20over%20there%20talking%20to-%20is%20that%20Aaron's%20brother,%20Patrick?%20Sorry,%20Mr.%20Collins...%20It%20appears%20you'll%20have%20to%20find%20somebody%20else.%22%20%20%22Very%20well.%20I%20will%20see%20if%20young%20Ms.%20Lu%20will%20do%20me%20the%20honor.%22,%20he%20bowed%20and%20walked%20away.%20%20%22It%20looks%20like%20everyone%20has%20someone%20to%20keep%20them%20company.%22,%20commented%20Darcy.%20%20%22Yup.%22,%20said%20Lizzie%20as%20she%20put%20her%20feet%20up.%20%20Aunt%20Catherine%20wanted%20to%20give%20them%20some%20privacy,%20so%20she%20inquired%20after%20Lizzie's%20parents.%20%22Liz,%20where%20are%20your%20parents?%20I%20would%20love%20to%20make%20their%20acquaintance.%20It's%20only%20right,%20considering%20that%20we're%20family%20now.%22%20%20%22Hold%20on,%20let%20me%20introduce%20you-%22,%20Lizzie%20offered.%20%20%22Don't%20be%20silly!%20Rest%20your%20feet.%20I%20am%20more%20than%20capable%20of%20introducing%20myself.%20Just%20show%20me%20who%20they%20are%20and%20I%20will%20go.%22%20%20Lizzie%20pointed%20in%20the%20general%20direction%20of%20where%20her%20parents%20were%20sitting%20and%20said,%20%22You%20see%20that%20woman%20with%20the%20hat%20and%20the%20man%20sitting%20next%20to%20her%20playing%20with%20the%20feathers?%20Those%20are%20my%20parents%E2%80%A6%22%20%20%22I'm%20sure%20they're%E2%80%A6%20pleasant%20people.%20They're%20your%20parents,%20after%20all.%20See%20you%20two%20later.%22,%20she%20said%20before%20walking%20away.%20%20%22I%20hope%20my%20mom%20doesn't%20do%20anything%20embarrassing%E2%80%A6%22,%20Lizzie%20worried%20as%20she%20watched%20Catherine%20getting%20closer%20to%20her%20parents.%20%20%22Your%20father%20is%20there.%20It%20should%20be%20okay.%22,%20Darcy%20said%20with%20a%20soft%20laugh.%20%20The%20emcee%20announced%20that%20it%20was%20time%20to%20eat.%20The%20servers%20were%20making%20their%20rounds%20and%20were%20being%20supervised%20by%20the%20matchmaker/wedding%20planner/master%20of%20ceremonies.%20Everything%20had%20turned%20out%20flawlessly%20and%20she%20believed%20it%20was%20all%20because%20she%20was%20doing%20it%20herself.%20She%20was%20running%20the%20show%20from%20behind%20the%20scenes%20the%20entire%20time.%20%20%22If%20you%20want%20something%20done%20right,%20you've%20got%20to%20do%20it%20yourself.%22,%20she%20thought%20proudly%20as%20she%20looked%20out%20at%20all%20the%20people%20looking%20cheerful%20and%20receiving%20their%20first%20courses%20with%20delight.%20She%20picked%20out%20the%20menu%20herself%20as%20well,%20since%20Jamie%20was%20so%20indecisive.%20%20%22Emma!%20I%20brought%20you%20a%20plate%20of%20food.%20You%20have%20to%20eat%20something.%20You've%20been%20running%20around%20all%20day.%22%20%20She%20was%20broken%20out%20of%20her%20trance%20by%20her%20life-long%20friend%20and%20business%20partner,%20Alex%20Knightley.%20%20%22I'm%20not%20hungry.%20I'm%20too%20preoccupied%20to%20think%20about%20food%20right%20now.%20Maybe%20later,%20Knightley.%22%20%20%22Your%20father%20was%20right%20to%20ask%20me%20to%20tag%20along.%20Emma,%20if%20you%20don't%20eat,%20I'll%20be%20forced%20to%20call%20your%20old%20man.%20You%20know%20how%20big%20of%20a%20health-nut%20he%20is.%22%20%20%22Ugh.%20Fine.%20Let%20me%20go%20wash%20my%20hands.%20Find%20us%20somewhere%20to%20sit.%22,%20she%20commanded%20as%20she%20headed%20to%20the%20ladies%20room.%20%20She%20had%20washed%20her%20hands%20and%20was%20retouching%20some%20of%20her%20make-up,%20when%20Lizzie%20walked%20out%20of%20a%20bathroom%20stall.%20%20Lizzie%20was%20washing%20her%20hands%20and%20she%20commented,%20%22Wow,%20this%20soap%20is%20great.%20My%20hands%20feel%20really%20soft.%22%20%20Emma%20replied,%20%22Yeah,%20I%20had%20them%20put%20in%20my%20favorite%20hand%20soap.%20There%20shouldn't%20be%20any%20reason%20for%20complaint%20by%20the%20end%20of%20the%20night.%20Not%20even%20about%20the%20soap.%20I%20planned%20everything.%22%20%20%22You%20did%20this?%22,%20Lizzie%20asked%20as%20she%20dried%20her%20hands.%20%20%22Oh,%20how%20rude.%20I%20am%20Emma%20Woodhouse,%20head%20of%20the%20Highbury%20Group's%20Love%20and%20Lifestyle%20Division.%20I%20put%20the%20Collins'%20wedding%20and%20reception%20together.%20I%20also%20put%20them%20together.%22,%20she%20answered%20with%20a%20smile,%20sticking%20her%20hand%20out%20for%20a%20shake.%20%20Lizzie%20shook%20her%20hand%20and%20mid-shake%20she%20exclaimed,%20%22We've%20met%20before!%22%20%20%22Have%20we?%20I%20meet%20a%20lot%20of%20people,%20I'm%20sorry%20if%20I%20don't%20recall.%22%20%20%22You%20were%20in%20a%20hair%20salon%20in%20San%20Francisco!%20You%20were%20talking%20to%20somebody%20about%20table%20cloths!%20You%20said%20you%20had%20a%20wedding%20the%20next%20month%E2%80%A6%20it%20must%20have%20been%20Ricky's!%22%20%20%22Hmm%E2%80%A6%20Oh,%20I%20remember%20you!%20You%20were%20the%20pregnant%20woman%20that%20was%20celebrating%20the%20anniversary!%20Wow,%20what%20a%20coincidence!%20How%20do%20you%20know%20the%20Collins'?%22%20%20%22I%20don't%20know%20Jamie%20but%20I%20do%20know%20Ricky.%20He%20and%20I%20grew%20up%20in%20the%20same%20neighborhood.%22%20%20%22Really?%20Has%20he%20always%20been%20so%E2%80%A6?%22%20%20%22Aggravating?%20Yes,%20yes%20he%20has.%22,%20Lizzie%20answered%20with%20a%20laugh.%20%22Oh,%20my%20name%20is%20Lizzie,%20by%20the%20way.%20Lizzie%20Bennet.%22%20%20%22Nice%20to%20meet%20you%20again,%20Lizzie%20Bennet.%20I%20don't%20believe%20in%20mere%20coincidences,%20though.%20Our%20meeting%20again%20has%20to%20mean%20something.%20Here%20is%20my%20business%20card%E2%80%A6%22,%20she%20said%20after%20taking%20out%20a%20card%20out%20of%20her%20clutch%20and%20searching%20for%20a%20pen.%20%22%E2%80%A6and%20here%20is%20my%20cell.%20If%20you%20ever%20find%20yourself%20in%20need%20of%20a%20matchmaker,%20wedding%20planner,%20life%20coach,%20or%20whatever,%20just%20give%20me%20a%20call.%20I'm%20versatile.%22%20%20%22Thank%20you.%20You%20did%20a%20great%20job%20with%20the%20wedding%20and%20the%20reception.%22%20%20%22Of%20course.%20Everything%20with%20my%20name%20attached%20to%20it%20has%20to%20be%20Emma%20Approved.%22,%20she%20said%20with%20a%20wink%20and%20held%20the%20door%20open%20for%20Lizzie.%20%20%22I%20really%20like%20this%20woman.%20She's%20spunky.%22,%20Lizzie%20thought%20as%20they%20went%20their%20separate%20ways.%20%20Their%20ways%20turned%20out%20to%20be%20not%20so%20separate%20after%20all;%20they%20both%20ended%20up%20walking%20to%20the%20table%20where%20Lizzie%20and%20Darcy%20were%20seated.%20%20%22We%20meet%20again,%20Lizzie.%22,%20Emma%20said%20with%20a%20smile.%20%20%22We%20do.%20It's%20weird,%20huh?%22,%20Lizzie%20smiled%20back%20as%20she%20took%20her%20seat.%20%20%22There%20you%20are,%20Emma.%20I%20was%20hoping%20you'd%20return%20quickly.%20I%20had%20no%20idea%20Mr.%20Darcy%20knew%20this%20Collins%20guy...%20Mr.%20Darcy,%20this%20is%20Emma%20Woodhouse%20of%20Highbury%20Group.%20Emma,%20this%20is%20Mr.%20Darcy%20of%20Pemberley%20Digital.%20He's%20the%20man%20behind%20the%20software%20we're%20interested%20for%20your%20documentary.%22%20%20%22Oh!%20Hello,%20Mr.%20Darcy.%20Nice%20to%20meet%20you.%20I'm%20looking%20forward%20to%20starting%20my%20documentary%20next%20month.%22%20%20%22And%20Pemberley%20Digital%20is%20looking%20forward%20to%20providing%20you%20with%20a%20good%20system.%20We%20have%20beta'd%20with%20the%20Domino%20application%20and%20we%20think%20we've%20got%20all%20the%20bugs%20fixed.%20This%20will%20be%20a%20variation%20of%20Domino%20and%20you'll%20be%20the%20only%20one%20who%20has%20it.%22,%20Darcy%20replied.%20%20Lizzie%20was%20just%20sitting%20there%20smiling%20politely.%20She%20didn't%20want%20to%20interrupt%20the%20business%20talk%20but%20Emma%20brought%20her%20into%20the%20conversation.%20%20%22I'm%20documenting%20my%20greatness,%20Lizzie.%20I%20know%20it%20may%20sound%20a%20little%20conceited%20but%20it's%20true.%20I%20want%20to%20document%20the%20way%20I%20make%20people's%20lives%20better%20so%20that%20when%20I%20receive%20my%20prestigious%20Lifetime%20Achievement%20Award%20in%20Lifestyle%20Excellence,%20they'll%20have%20clips%20of%20my%20good%20deeds%20playing%20on%20the%20screen%20behind%20me%20as%20I%20give%20my%20acceptance%20speech.%22,%20she%20said%20confidently%20with%20a%20far-away%20look%20in%20her%20eyes.%20%20%22Lizzie,%20I%20was%20not%20aware%20that%20you%20knew%20Miss%20Woodhouse.%22,%20commented%20Darcy%20with%20surprise.%20%20%22I%20didn't%20until%20a%20few%20minutes%20ago.%20She%20and%20I%20ran%20into%20each%20other%20last%20month%20at%20a%20hair%20salon.%20The%20day%20of%20our%20six%20month%20anniversary,%20actually.%20She%20was%20the%20one%20who%20told%20me%20I%20was%20head-over-heels%20for%20you.%22,%20she%20smiled.%20%22And%20then%20I%20recognized%20her%20in%20the%20bathroom%20and%20we%20exchanged%20names.%22%20%20%22Wait,%20you%20are%20dating%20Mr.%20Darcy?%20Wow!%20I%20guessed%20our%20paths%20would%20have%20crossed%20eventually,%20even%20without%20this%20wedding.%20He's%20been%20in%20contact%20with%20Knightley%20since%20VidCon.%20We%20went%20there%20in%20search%20of%20potential%20customers%20and%20to%20seek%20out%20a%20program%20just%20like%20the%20one%20we've%20secured%20with%20Pemberley%20Digital.%20I%20guess%20California%20isn't%20so%20big%20after%20all!%22%20%20It%20was%20Darcy's%20turn%20to%20introduce%20his%20girl.%20%22Mr.%20Knightley,%20this%20is%20my%20girlfriend,%20Elizabeth%20Bennet.%20Lizzie,%20this%20is%20Alex%20Knightley%20of%20Highbury%20Group.%22%20%20%22He%20handles%20all%20the%20boring%20stuff.%22,%20Emma%20whispered%20loudly.%20%20%22The%20important%20boring%20stuff.%22,%20he%20amended.%20%20Lizzie%20wanted%20to%20ask%20if%20they%20were%20together%20but%20she%20figured%20that%20would%20be%20rude.%20The%20two%20of%20them%20sat%20with%20Lizzie%20and%20Darcy%20and%20the%20rest%20of%20the%20table%20until%20dinner%20was%20over%20and%20Emma%20and%20Knightley%20had%20to%20resume%20their%20duties.%20%20%22It%20was%20nice%20meeting%20you,%20Mr.%20Darcy.%20And%20it%20was%20nice%20meeting%20you%20again,%20Lizzie.%20You%20have%20my%20number.%20Call%20me!%22,%20Emma%20said%20before%20strutting%20away.%20Knightley%20shook%20Darcy's%20hand%20and%20waved%20to%20Lizzie%20before%20chasing%20after%20Emma.%20%20%22I%20like%20her.%22,%20stated%20Lizzie.%20%22I%20think%20I'd%20like%20her%20to%20plan%20our%20wedding,%20Will.%20What%20do%20you%20think?%22%20%20%22She's%20doing%20a%20great%20job%20with%20this%20one.%20Whatever%20you%20want,%20my%20love.%22,%20Darcy%20responded.%20%22However,%20we%20might%20end%20up%20on%20that%20documentary%20of%20hers...%20Will%20my%20life%20ever%20be%20free%20of%20video%20cameras?%22%20%20Lizzie%20laughed.%20%22Nope.%20It%20seems%20that%20the%20digital%20gods%20have%20taken%20a%20shine%20to%20you.%22%20%20The%20dance%20floor%20opened%20back%20up%20and%20Charlotte%20came%20to%20steal%20Lizzie%20away%20from%20Darcy%20for%20a%20song%20or%20two.%20Darcy%20took%20the%20opportunity%20to%20ask%20Gigi%20for%20a%20dance.%20%20%22So%20Char%E2%80%A6%20I%20see%20you've%20been%20chatting%20up%20Patrick%20Fields%20all%20evening.%22,%20Lizzie%20teased.%20%20%22Yeah.%20He's%20really%20interesting.%22%20%20%22Interesting,%20huh?%20Did%20you%20know%20he's%20Caroline's%20boyfriend's%20little%20brother?%22%20%20%22Yes.%20You%20know,%20she%20came%20up%20to%20me%20and%20was%20acting%20super%20weird.%20Like,%20nice.%20And%20I%20couldn't%20sense%20any%20fake%20vibes.%22%20%20%22She's%20changed,%20Char!%20And%20you%20have%20her%20to%20thank%20for%20your%20new%20interesting%20friend.%20If%20she%20wouldn't%20have%20called%20Ricky%20to%20squeeze%20them%20in%20at%20last%20minute,%20you%20and%20Lydia%20would%20be%20out%20of%20luck.%22%20%20Charlotte%20just%20rolled%20her%20eyes%20and%20twirled%20Lizzie%20around.%20%20After%20another%20song,%20Mr.%20Bennet%20appeared%20to%20request%20a%20dance%20with%20his%20daughter.%20%20%22We%20do%20this%20at%20every%20wedding,%20Lizzie.%20You%20know%20the%20deal.%22,%20he%20said.%20At%20every%20wedding%20they%20attended,%20Mr.%20Bennet%20always%20danced%20with%20each%20of%20his%20girls.%20He%20had%20already%20danced%20with%20his%20eldest%20and%20his%20youngest,%20leaving%20his%20favorite%20for%20last.%20%20%22If%20someone%20had%20told%20me%20that%20the%20next%20time%20we%20danced,%20we'd%20have%20big%20belly%20between%20us,%20I%20would've%20assumed%20that%20your%20mother's%20cooking%20would%20be%20the%20culprit,%20not%20my%20granddaughter.%22%20%20%22You're%20preaching%20to%20the%20choir,%20dad.%22,%20she%20said%20with%20a%20chuckle.%20%20%22Next%20time%20we%20dance,%20it'll%20probably%20be%20at%20Jane's%20wedding.%20Or%20yours.%20Even%20Lydia.%20There's%20no%20telling%20anymore%20with%20you%20girls.%20You've%20all%20done%20some%20pretty%20unforeseen%20things%20this%20past%20year...%20Jane%20moved%20twice,%20you're%20giving%20us%20our%20first%20grandchild,%20and%20then%20Lydia's%20incident%E2%80%A6%20But%20that's%20a%20part%20of%20growing%20up,%20I%20guess.%20Changing.%20I%20remember%20when%20you%20girls%20would%20dance%20on%20my%20feet%20and%20now%20you're%20all%20grown%E2%80%A6%22%20%20Mr.%20Bennet%20sighed.%20His%20eyes%20were%20glossy%20and%20Lizzie%20was%20going%20to%20address%20it%20but%20the%20song%20ended.%20%20%22Go%20on%20back%20to%20Darcy,%20Ellie.%20I've%20got%20to%20go%20see%20what%20your%20mom's%20up%20to.%22,%20he%20said%20with%20a%20smile.%20%20%22Wait,%20Dad.%22%20She%20gave%20her%20dad%20a%20hug%20before%20he%20could%20get%20too%20far.%20%20Emma%20strode%20to%20the%20middle%20of%20the%20dance%20floor%20with%20the%20mic%20and%20cleared%20her%20throat.%20%20%22Good%20evening,%20guests%20of%20the%20new%20Mr.%20and%20Mrs.%20Ricky%20Collins!%20It's%20about%20time%20for%20the%20bouquet%20toss!%20All%20the%20unmarried%20ladies,%20please%20make%20your%20way%20to%20the%20dance%20floor!%22%20%20Mrs.%20Bennet%20got%20up%20to%20get%20a%20good%20look%20at%20the%20group%20of%20women.%20%22One%20of%20our%20girls%20is%20gonna%20catch%20it,%20honey!%20I%20can%20feel%20it%20in%20my%20bones!%22,%20she%20said%20before%20leaving%20Mr.%20Bennet%20at%20the%20table.%20%20Caroline,%20Jane,%20Lizzie,%20Charlotte,%20Gigi,%20Lydia,%20and%20Mary%20were%20all%20huddled%20together%20behind%20Jamie%20with%20all%20the%20other%20unmarried%20female%20guests.%20Lizzie%20stood%20on%20the%20edge%20of%20the%20group%20just%20in%20case%20things%20got%20a%20little%20crazy.%20She%20didn't%20want%20to%20get%20tackled%20and%20hurt%20herself.%20%20%22One...%20two...%20three!%22,%20Jamie%20counted%20before%20tossing%20the%20bouquet%20behind%20her.%20%20The%20spot%20light%20landed%20on%20Jane%20Bennet,%20whose%20long%20arm%20held%20the%20flowers%20up%20in%20the%20air.%20%20People%20clapped%20for%20her%20and%20Emma%20said%20into%20the%20mic,%20%22Alright!%20This%20lovely%20lady%20caught%20the%20bouquet!%20What's%20your%20name?%22%20%20%22Jane%20Bennet.%22,%20she%20answered%20happily.%20%20%22Give%20it%20up%20for%20Jane%20Bennet,%20everyone!%20Now%20let's%20see%20who%20will%20catch%20the%20garter.%22%20%20Mrs.%20Bennet%20cheered%20on%20the%20sidelines%20and%20yelled,%20%22That's%20my%20daughter!%22%20%20Mr.%20Bennet%20sat%20at%20their%20table,%20amused.%20%22Well,%20I'll%20be.%20Franny%20was%20right.%22%20%20Knightley%20brought%20a%20chair%20to%20the%20middle%20of%20the%20dance%20floor%20for%20Jamie%20to%20sit%20on.%20Ricky%20Collins%20was%20going%20to%20have%20to%20remove%20the%20garter%20from%20his%20new%20wife's%20thigh.%20They%20decided%20to%20go%20for%20the%20less%20scandalous%20version,%20so%20he%20removed%20it%20with%20his%20hands%20instead%20of%20his%20teeth.%20%20%22Alright!%20All%20the%20unmarried%20men!%20Get%20your%20butts%20onto%20the%20dance%20floor.%20One%20of%20you%20gents%20is%20going%20to%20catch%20this%20garter%20and%20dance%20with%20the%20lovely%20Jane%20Bennet!%22%20%20Bing%20was%20the%20first%20one%20on%20the%20dance%20floor.%20He%20was%20really%20eager%20to%20catch%20it.%20All%20the%20guys%20stood%20around%20waiting%20for%20Ricky%20to%20throw%20it.%20Darcy%20hated%20this%20tradition%20and%20swore%20up%20and%20down%20that%20he%20would%20not%20have%20it%20at%20his%20wedding.%20He%20stood%20as%20far%20back%20as%20possible%20in%20order%20to%20have%20the%20least%20likely%20chance%20of%20catching%20it.%20Bing%20was%20in%20the%20middle%20and%20was%20ready%20to%20pounce.%20%20%22One,%20two,%20three!%22,%20Ricky%20counted%20before%20he%20threw%20the%20garter.%20%20The%20spot%20light%20landed%20on%20none%20other%20than%20William%20Darcy.%20It%20hit%20him%20in%20the%20chest%20and%20he%20caught%20it%20because%20of%20his%20reflexes.%20%22Damn%20it!%20Just%20like%20the%20Gibson%20wedding.%20Except%20I%20don't%20get%20to%20dance%20with%20Lizzie...%22%20%20%22Give%20it%20up%20for%20Mr.%20William%20Darcy!%20Get%20ready%20to%20dance%20with%20Miss%20Bennet!%22%20%20Bing%20was%20slightly%20disappointed%20but%20he%20got%20over%20it%20quickly.%20%22Don't%20embarrass%20my%20girl,%20Darcy.%22,%20Bing%20warned%20playfully.%20%20%22I%20will%20try%20my%20best%20to%20avoid%20doing%20so.%22%20%20Jane%20and%20Darcy%20stepped%20onto%20the%20dance%20floor%20together%20and%20began%20dancing%20when%20the%20music%20started.%20Darcy%20thanked%20his%20lucky%20stars%20he'd%20taken%20those%20lessons%20because%20if%20he%20hadn't,%20he'd%20have%20danced%20horribly%20like%20the%20last%20time.%20He%20would%20have%20had%20awkward%20wedding%20dances%20with%20two%20thirds%20of%20the%20Bennet%20girls.%20%20%22You're%20doing%20great,%20Darcy.%22,%20Jane%20said,%20smiling.%20%20%22Thank%20you,%20Jane.%20You,%20too.%22,%20he%20smiled%20back.%20How%20could%20he%20ever%20have%20thought%20she%20smiled%20too%20much?%20%20%22I'm%20sorry%20to%20spring%20this%20on%20you%20so%20last-minute,%20Darcy,%20but%20I%20want%20to%20throw%20Lizzie%20a%20baby%20shower%20tomorrow%20afternoon.%20It's%20the%20only%20the%20time%20we'll%20all%20be%20together.%20We're%20all%20going%20to%20be%20there%20for%20Isabella's%20birth%20but%20before%20then,%20I%20don't%20think%20we'll%20be%20able%20to%20gather%20like%20this%20without%20it%20affecting%20out%20jobs%20or%20school.%20What%20do%20you%20say,%20Darcy?%20Can%20you%20keep%20Lizzie%20busy%20tomorrow%20morning%20and%20then%20bring%20her%20over%20to%20my%20parents'%20house%20for%20'lunch'?%22%20%20%22Gladly.%22%20%20%22Great.%20I've%20already%20told%20my%20parents%20and%20everyone%20else%20at%20Netherfield%20and%20Charlotte%20and%20my%20cousin.%20So%20everyone%20is%20going%20to%20be%20there.%22%20%20%22I%20will%20leave%20my%20credit%20card%20with%20Georgiana.%20Please,%20buy%20whatever%20you%20need%20to%20make%20tomorrow%20special.%20I%20honestly%20hadn't%20thought%20about%20a%20baby%20shower%E2%80%A6%22%20%20%22It's%20okay.%20It%20slipped%20everyone's%20minds.%20Especially%20Lizzie's.%20That's%20why%20it'll%20be%20a%20great%20surprise.%22%20%20They%20danced%20together%20gracefully%20and%20then%20Darcy%20escorted%20Jane%20back%20to%20Bing's%20side%20before%20returning%20to%20Lizzie.%20%20Mrs.%20Bennet%20was%20over%20the%20moon.%20%22You%20know%20what%20this%20means,%20right,%20Thomas?%22%20%20%22What,%20that%20Jane%20and%20Darcy%20are%20going%20to%20be%20wed?%22,%20he%20answered%20sarcastically.%20%20%22Oh,%20don't%20be%20silly!%20It%20means%20that%20Jane%20and%20Darcy%20are%20next%20in%20line%20to%20get%20married!%20Not%20to%20each%20other%20but%20to%20Bing%20and%20Lizzie!%22%20%20%22That's%20common%20sense,%20dear.%20I%20didn't%20have%20to%20watch%20them%20catch%20bouquets%20and%20garters%20to%20come%20to%20that%20conclusion.%22%20%20%22I%20know!%20But%20it's%20a%20sign!%22%20%20Before%20the%20night%20was%20over,%20the%20newlyweds%20made%20their%20rounds%20to%20every%20table%20to%20thanks%20their%20guests%20for%20coming%20and%20that%20was%20when%20they%20all%20got%20the%20chance%20to%20meet%20Jamie%20formally.%20%20%22She's%20so%20sweet.%20And%20Ricky%20is%20different%20with%20her.%22,%20noted%20Lizzie.%20%20%22Yes,%20I%20did%20find%20him%20less%20irritating%20than%20usual%20in%20her%20presence.%22,%20Darcy%20joked.%20%20Emma%20spoke%20into%20the%20mic%20once%20more%20to%20announce%20the%20departure%20of%20the%20Collins'%20and%20the%20end%20of%20the%20festivities.%20%20Everyone%20said%20their%20goodbyes%20in%20the%20parking%20lot%20but%20for%20most%20of%20them%20the%20party%20wasn't%20over.%20Darcy%20and%20Lizzie%20were%20dropped%20off%20at%20Netherfield%20and%20Lydia%20and%20Charlotte%20took%20their%20places%20as%20they%20all%20went%20to%20Carter's%20to%20continue%20the%20fun.%20Lydia%20had%20gotten%20Carlos%20to%20break%20out%20of%20shell%20a%20little%20and%20Charlotte%20still%20thought%20Patrick%20was%20interesting.%20%20Lizzie:%20Keep%20an%20eye%20on%20your%20brothers%20with%20my%20sisters,%20Aaron!%20%20Aaron:%20Will%20do,%20Elizabeth.%20:P%20%20Lizzie%20was%20pooped.%20After%20watching%20a%20little%20bit%20of%20television%20with%20Darcy%20after%20they%20changed,%20she%20wanted%20to%20sleep.%20%20%22I%20think%20I'm%20gonna%20go%20upstairs,%20babe.%20I'm%20sleepy.%20Good%20night.%22,%20she%20said%20getting%20up%20from%20the%20couch%20and%20giving%20him%20a%20good%20night%20kiss.%20%20%22Tomorrow%20morning%20would%20you%20like%20to%20go%20out%20and%20do%20something?%20I%20believe%20your%20mother%20is%20hosting%20a%20luncheon%20and%20we'd%20have%20nothing%20to%20do%20before%20then.%22%20%20%22Sure.%20We%20can%20invite%20everyone%20else%20and%20make%20it%20a%20group%20thing.%22%20%20%22Actually,%20I%20was%20thinking%20it%20might%20be%20just%20us.%20We'll%20see%20everyone%20at%20your%20parents'%20house%20anyway.%22%20%20Lizzie%20yawned.%20%22Okay.%20I'm%20looking%20forward%20to%20it.%22%20%20%22Good%20night,%20Lizzie.%22,%20he%20said.%20He%20watched%20her%20climb%20the%20stairs%20and%20when%20she%20was%20out%20of%20sight,%20he%20texted%20Jane.%20%20Darcy:%20She%20accepted%20my%20invitation%20for%20a%20date%20tomorrow%20morning.%20We%20shall%20be%20gone%20until%20you%20let%20me%20know%20everything%20is%20ready.%20%20Jane:%20Perfect.%20:\)%20%20There%20we%20have%20it!%20Ricky%20Collins%20is%20a%20married%20man%20and%20Lizzie%20and%20Emma%20are%20best%20buds%20now!%20If%20you%20guys%20don't%20know%20who%20Emma%20Woodhouse%20is,%20watch%20Emma%20Approved%20on%20YouTube!%20It's%20a%20modern%20adaptation%20of%20Jane%20Austen's%20novel%20Emma.%20They%20are%20on%20winter%20hiatus%20until%20February,%20so%20you%20have%20plenty%20of%20time%20to%20catch%20up!%20It's%20different%20than%20the%20LBD%20but%20it's%20also%20really%20good!%20%20I%20made%20some%20EA%20sims.%20Link%20on%20my%20profile%20if%20you're%20interested!) if you're interested.


	34. Two Lovely Surprises

**Finally updated lol. This chapter took me a ridiculously long time to write. I was having, like, serious writer's block even though I knew what I wanted to happen. And then after I managed to get it from my brain onto the computer, I added and deleted a lot. So hopefully it reads well.**

**This one's kinda long; approx 4K.**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

When Lizzie awoke the next morning, she found it strange that the house was empty. She thought she and Darcy would be the only ones awake considering the fact that everyone else went out after the wedding.

"Good morning, babe... Where is everybody? The house is so quiet...", she wondered aloud when she reached the living room.

"They all had... stuff to do.", he answered quickly.

"Stuff?"

"Yes... Caroline wanted to take Aaron and his brothers sightseeing before everyone leaves tonight and Brandon and Fitz tagged along because they've never been here... and- and Bing and Jane are probably out rescuing kittens from trees and helping old ladies cross the street.", he answered off the top of his head. He didn't think she would ask what everyone else was up to and was unprepared.

His response made Lizzie laugh. "Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. Jane used to volunteer for fun all the time… So what are we gonna do before we go to my parents' house later? I'm hungry and I was kind of craving somewhere in particular."

"Sure thing. We can go wherever you would like, my love. After eating, I thought we could go to a book store or two. We can pick out books for each other."

"That sounds like fun. I'm gonna introduce you to some more modern novels."

"I'm looking forward to it. I will select something out of your comfort zone as well. No Tolstoy.", he said with a smirk. "Now where is it you would like to go eat?", he said gesturing toward the front door.

Lizzie directed Darcy to a really small diner. It had an old-school vibe and felt very homey. When they were seated at a booth, Lizzie explained to Darcy why she wanted to go there.

"My dad used to take us here whenever Mom went back to Georgia to visit her family. There are lots of good memories here and it's been years since I've eaten here… Oh, and the food is seriously delicious. The biscuits here are better than my _mom's_ and that's saying something! Don't ever tell her that, though."

They ate and Darcy listened to Lizzie recount some of the adventures and misadventures that the Bennet sisters shared in their younger years.

"I just _know_ our kids will have lots of stories to tell when they get to be our age. We're gonna make sure of that.", Lizzie declared while she rubbed her belly. She had so many good memories and she wanted the same for Isabella and whoever else she and Darcy would bring into the world. Darcy was in total agreement with Lizzie on that front. He really wanted his children to have a fun childhood like the one he lacked and he wanted to be a 'fun' dad.

They went to a book store and were perusing the different genres in search of books to give to one another, when in walked one of Lizzie's old high school rivals. Lizzie hadn't seen this girl in years and she didn't look forward to facing her again. She had hoped that maybe she didn't recognize her in the second that they locked eyes, but she did.

"Lizzie Bennet?! Is that you?!", said the girl loudly. She gasped when she noticed the belly. "You're pregnant?!" GASP.

Lizzie rolled her eyes and said, "Hey, Gretchen… it's been a long time…"

"It sure has! Wow! _You're_ pregnant? I can't believe it! Who'd you marry? I didn't receive a wedding invitation, Lizzie. That hurts."

"I'm not married, Gretchen."

"Oh… _Ohh_! It's like _that_? The baby daddy isn't around, huh? You _poor_ thing. Speaking of baby daddies, Rob and I and thinking about having a baby. You remember Rob, don't you?", she asked with a spiteful twinkle in her eye.

 _"Of course I remember Rob. That ass. He left me for you in junior year. How could I forget? Am I supposed to still be pining for him or something?",_ Lizzie wanted to say, but she held her tongue and said, "Yeah. How's Rob doing?"

Darcy found some books he thought Lizzie would be interested in and walked over to where she was, only to find her looking irritated. The woman in front of her was going on and on about some guy named Rob.

He cleared his throat to announce his presence and then said, "Lizzie I found you some books. I think you will enjoy these… Hello."

" _Hello_.", she said blatantly ogling the handsome man before her.

Lizzie immediately brightened up. It was _her_ turn to brag about her man. With a big smile on her face, she pulled Darcy to her side said, "Gretchen, this is my _baby daddy_ , William Darcy. Will, _this_ is Gretchen, an old… _acquaintance_."

Darcy could see that Lizzie didn't enjoy this woman's company by the way she was being so coldly civil.

"Nice to meet you, Gretchen... Baby, we've got to go. Jane texted me that your mother requested ice cream to go with a cake she baked."

"Jane's in town, too? Wow. I haven't seen her in forever.", Gretchen asked curiously. She looked up to Jane in high school. She was the prettiest junior when they were freshmen.

"Yeah. We came for Ricky Collins's wedding. I'm surprised _you_ didn't go. He invited practically _everyone_. Jane flew in from New York with her boyfriend and Will and I came from San Francisco. I _did_ tell you I moved, right? After _graduating_. How's school, by the way?", Lizzie gloated. She was being just as salty as Gretchen had always been towards her.

"Uhh-", was all Gretchen could say. She really didn't have a good answer. She wasn't doing anything productive with herself at the moment.

"I'm sorry to cut your reunion short, Gretchen, but we've got to go.", Darcy interrupted.

Lizzie waddled away with a fake grin and waved goodbye with her fingers as Darcy dragged her towards the cash register.

In the car, Lizzie explained what a major bitch Gretchen was to her growing up and how she was trying to make her feel bad about Rob.

"And now that _I'm_ going places and she's still the same, the tables have turned! _I_ have things to brag about now. I know I'm supposed to be over holding grudges, but _she_ started it when she brought up _Rob_. Like I even _care_ about him anymore. Ugh.", she said with irritation. She exhaled deeply. "But whatever. Everything turned out perfectly for _me_. I have Isabella and I have _you_. Let's go."

Darcy smiled and nodded as he pulled out of the parking space. He always enjoyed Lizzie's hormone-fueled rampages when he wasn't the target.

* * *

After a quick stop for ice cream at the supermarket, Lizzie and Darcy arrived at the Bennet home. She saw a whole bunch of cars parked nearby and said, "I guess mom invited the whole neighborhood for this luncheon of hers."

Darcy smiled because she was clueless. "I wouldn't put it past her."

Lizzie rang the doorbell and they waited a minute but no one answered. She tried the door knob and it was locked so she said, "Maybe they're in the backyard and can't hear us?"

The Bennets had a wooden fence around their backyard, so Darcy opened the unlocked gate for her and when she was barely through the gate, everyone yelled, "Surprise!"

Lizzie jumped a little from fright but then her fright turned into confusion. Her confusion faded into appreciation when she realized what this was. It was a surprise baby shower for her.

"Oh my gosh! _You guys!",_ Lizzie said with her hands covering her mouth. Tears were beginning to form.

Some of their closest neighbors, her parents, her sisters, Gigi, Aunt Catherine, Fitz and Brandon, the Lu family, the Lees and the Fields, Mary and her parents, and _even Dr. Gardiner_ were all present in her parents' backyard that was currently full of balloons and streamers and _'It's a girl!'_ stuff everywhere.

Everyone smiled at her reaction and they lined up to greet her. Mr. Bennet was walking around with a camera recording the whole party.

"Dr. Gardiner! How did they manage to get you here? I haven't written to you in so long! I'm sorry!", Lizzie explained after a long hug. She had forgotten how much she missed her professor. It was thanks to her she'd graduated on time.

"Oh, please, Elizabeth. I can see you've been busy. I still watch your videos, so I am aware of what's been going on in your life. Your lovely elder sister got my contact information from the university and emailed me yesterday and I accepted the invitation. How could I say no?", she replied with a smile.

Darcy had left Lizzie's side in all the commotion to store the ice cream in the freezer and he admired from afar how her face lit up when greeting her family and friends.

"This is for you to wear, Lizzie!", Gigi exclaimed as she and Lydia decorated Lizzie with a little plastic tiara and a sash that read 'Mommy to be!'

"Where's Darce-face?", Lydia asked as she scanned the backyard for Darcy. "Ahh, there he is! Yo, Darcinator, get your butt over here!"

As soon as he reached them, Gigi and Lydia decorated him with a big pin button that read 'Daddy to be!' and a little plastic crown to match Lizzie's tiara.

"Picture time now!", Gigi declared.

Lizzie and Darcy posed for pictures in front of the main table. It held a beautiful cake baked by Mrs. B and a whole bunch of appetizers and the whole nine. There were also pink balloons and streamers and tables strategically placed all over the backyard. Caroline and Jane were in charge of decorations and they made the last-minute shower look premeditated. They even managed to get a big comfortable baby shower throne for Lizzie to sit on to open presents.

When the girls had taken their pictures, Lizzie shoved Darcy and said with a smile, "You knew about this, didn't you?"

Darcy grinned and replied, "Maybe.", before adjusting her tiara and kissing her softly on the lips.

"Now, now. Enough of that. _That's how you two got here in the first place_ …", teased Fitz as he passed by the couple on the way to the refreshments.

"Lizzie, I don't mean to pressure you, but this baby shower is going to be a short one because everyone is leaving tonight. We should get started on the activities so you can have time to open presents and cut the cake.", Jane pressed her lightly.

"Oh, right. Of course, Janie. Lead the way."

* * *

They participated in a small variety of activities. Gigi snapped some really funny pictures of her big brother bobbing for pacifiers and chugging beer from a baby bottle. If you'd have told him a year ago he'd be doing that at his pregnant girlfriend's baby shower, he'd have dismissed it as the most ridiculous and barbaric thing in the world. He didn't win any of the activities, however. Mary won the pacifier bobbing and Aaron's brother Patrick won the bottle chugging.

After all the activities were done, Lizzie and Darcy cut their personalized baby shower cake. Mrs. Bennet brought out the ice cream and announced, "Y'all have the choice of eating my cake _a la mode_! Y'all didn't think this was some hillbilly shower now, did y'all?"

Darcy laughed at the fact that Mrs. B thought _a la mode_ was fancy. Before, he would've thought she was uncultured but now, he couldn't help but see how enthusiastic she was about pleasing her guests.

Lizzie sat on Darcy's lap as they shared a piece of cake _a la mode_. Darcy only wanted the cake and Lizzie only wanted the ice cream, so they just shared one plate. Just as Lizzie finished up the ice cream, her mother came to escort her to her 'throne'. It was placed in a location where everyone could see her from their seats.

"Come on now, Elizabeth! It's present time!", she exclaimed as she helped Lizzie up.

After Lizzie was seated on the massive, decorated chair, Jane called everyone's attention.

"Hello, everyone! This little get-together is almost over! All that's left is for Lizzie to open presents. If you didn't bring anything, it is perfectly okay. We know we didn't give much notice. But the Bennet family thanks you all for being here to celebrate the upcoming arrival of baby Isabella! Alright, Lizzie, it's showtime. Start opening your gifts!"

Although everyone could see from their seats, her mother, Jane, Lydia, Charlotte, and Gigi all pulled up seats near Lizzie so they could help her. Mr. Bennet was near, too; for he was recording this event.

"Hmm… I guess I'll do this one first?", Lizzie declared as she picked up a gift bag.

"Who's it from?", asked Lydia.

"It's from… the Lu family!", Lizzie replied excitedly before getting rid of all the decorative tissue paper and pulling out multiple baby onesies of different sizes. "Awww! Thank you so much! Izzy's going to look adorable in these!"

They handed her another gift. "This one is from… the Fields brothers." It was more adorable baby clothes. "Thank you, boys!"

Next up was Caroline's gift. "Wow! A colorful Coach diaper bag! Thank you, Caroline. This looks… expensive. But I'll gladly accept it. It's beautiful."

"Look inside!", Caroline yelled out from her seat.

Lizzie opened up the zipper. "This is a voucher… for free design services?"

"Yes! Part two of my gift is to help you design your daughter's nursery!"

"Oh! Thank you, Caroline! Sure! Baby girl is almost here and her room is non-existent. We don't even have a crib."

"Umm, you should probably open that big box. The one on your left!", yelled out Fitz.

She unwrapped it and said with a chuckle, "Looks like I spoke too soon. We _do_ have a crib. Thank you Fitz and Brandon!"

"Open mine next, Liz! I'm afraid I have to go but I'd like to see you open it.", requested Aunt Catherine.

"Of course. This one?... Wow. We definitely need this if we're gonna take her home from the hospital. Thank you, Aunt Catherine.", Lizzie said with a smile. It was the best car seat and stroller that was available in the store she visited. _"Only the best for my family."_ , was her motto while shopping.

She looked pleased and said her goodbyes to Dr. Gardiner, her new acquaintance, and waved goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. B.

The majority of the presents were what you'd expect to receive at a baby shower; baby clothes and shoes, diapers, wipes, bottles. Some were a little different, however. Bing, being the former med school student, gifted a baby healthcare and grooming kit. Mr. Bennet gave a onesie that read 'I love my grandparents' but he also gifted a baby toy train that lit up with music. Sure, Isabella wouldn't be using it any time soon, but she would one day. He hoped to pass down his locomotive appreciation to his grandchildren. Mrs. Bennet gifted Lizzie a scrap book.

"You gotta take a picture every month all the way up until she's a year old. And you fill it with things like her first word and her favorite food. They grow up so fast, so you have to take note of everythin'. I have one for each of you girls…", Mrs. Bennet informed Lizzie, with tears in her eyes.

Lizzie was touched. "Thanks, Mom. Will and I will fill this up."

Lizzie finished opening all her presents and was overjoyed with all the baby stuff she got. She had been putting off baby shopping because she was kind of in denial of how close she was to giving birth. In a month and some change, their daughter would join them on the outside.

* * *

Lizzie went around thanking everyone for coming and noticed that Bing, Darcy, and her dad were nowhere to be found.

When they appeared again, Mr. Bennet had a sparkle in his eye, Darcy was trying hard not to smile, and Bing looked determined.

Jane was cleaning up the wrapping paper and bags that Lizzie tore up while opening presents, so she was right in front of the baby shower throne where everyone could see.

Mr. Bennet started recording again, Darcy made his way to Lizzie's side, and Bing made his way to Jane.

"What's going on, Will?", she inquired as he stepped behind her.

He hugged her big belly and said, "Just watch, my love.", before kissing her on the cheek and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Jane?", asked Bing when he reached her.

Jane turned around to face him with a big smile. She had a garbage bag in one hand and wrapping paper in the other.

Bing cleared his throat. He was completely resolute before, but after looking at her big, bright eyes and special smile that she reserved just for him, he wavered.

"Yes, Bing?", she asked innocently.

He took a deep breath before continuing.

"Jane, I love you."

She laughed and responded, "I know. I love you, too."

Her laughter, which was one of his favorite sounds, gave him relief. Why was he so nervous? She was the love of his life and he was hers, without a doubt.

"We got back together in January and the last eight months have been the happiest eight months of my life… And I'm certain that these eight months were only a glimpse of what the future holds for us... I know it's not a long time to date but I am a thousand percent sure that we're meant to be. Jane Bennet…"

Bing got down on one knee. Jane dropped the garbage bag and the wrapping paper she was holding, and brought her hands to her face. Her eyes widened in disbelief and they were getting teary.

Bing continued as he pulled a box out of his pocket, "Jane Bennet, will you marry me?"

GASP. Everyone was quiet while awaiting her answer but Mrs. Bennet nearly choked.

"Oh, Bing…", Jane said with tears in her eyes and a big smile. She looked at the beautiful ring and couldn't believe this was happening to her right now.

"SAY YES, GIRL!", screamed Mrs. Bennet when she could breath properly.

"Yes.", she whispered while nodding her head and wiping her tears.

"Yes?"

"Yes, I will marry you!", she said laughing. She caught a case of the giggles. It felt like a scene from a movie to her.

Bing grabbed her left hand and placed the ring delicately on her ring finger. He stood up and squeezed his new fiancée. He spun her around and when he set her on the floor, they shared a heartfelt kiss full of love. Jane and Bing weren't new to public displays of affection, so they weren't bothered when Fitz began whistling at them and everyone clapped. They just chuckled and continued their kiss.

Everyone was pleasantly surprised. The only ones who had any idea that Bing was going to propose were Darcy, Mr. Bennet, and Caroline and Bing's parents. Caroline helped him select a ring months ago when she visited them in New York and Darcy and Mr. Bennet had many secret phone conferences with Bing over the past month after Bing asked her father for Jane's hand in marriage. Bing wanted to propose in front of Jane's loved ones to make it special for her.

* * *

Mrs. Bennet was inspecting Jane's ring and giving her unsolicited suggestions for wedding plans when Mr. Bennet reminded her that everyone had a flight to catch. She said her goodbyes to everyone.

"Oh, that's right. You kids have a safe flight. Call me when you land, Jane. We need to make arrangements for a get-together with the Lees. See you in November for Isabella's birth!... And you, too, Lizzie. Call me… Gigi, dear, it was a pleasure meetin' you. See you soon!... Caroline! We're to be family soon! Nice to see you again!..."

This went on and on for every guest. Parties were very invigorating for Mrs. Bennet, especially when she hosted them.

"Someone will come by tomorrow to pack up all these gifts and ship them to San Francisco, Thomas.", mentioned Darcy before getting into the rental.

"Alright. I'll be here when they arrive.", replied Mr. Bennet.

Everyone got to the airport and checked in for their flights. Fitz and Brandon, Lizzie and Darcy, and Caroline and Aaron had all unknowingly booked the same flight to San Francisco. Gigi was off to Sanditon, Bing and Jane were off to New York, and the other Fields brothers were off to their home in another state (with Charlotte and Lydia's numbers, of course).

Lizzie wasn't even remotely bothered at being fussed about at the airport this time around; she was in too good of a mood. She and Caroline made plans in regards to little Bella's nursery. Caroline was going to drop by for a consultation sometime this week.

* * *

When they arrived at home, Lizzie finally had the quiet time and the space she needed to go over the weekend's events. On Friday she spent time with her family that she hadn't seen in-person since her graduation; Saturday she watched Ricky Collins tie the knot and then partied with all her favorite people; and then today, spent a lovely morning with her doting boyfriend, was surprised with a baby shower, _and_ witnessed her sister's unexpected engagement. Two lovely surprises in the span of a few hours.

 _"When did my life get to be so exciting?"_ , she pondered as she absent-mindedly fiddled with her baby shower tiara. _"The viewers are gonna love my next vlog..."_

When it was bedtime, Lizzie snuggled into her pregnancy pillow and Darcy's big, comfy bed. No offense to Netherfield, but she missed this bed. This bed is where she and Darcy talk about their days at the end of each day and where they learned to get comfortable with each other and where Isabella is going to sleep when she has nightmares…

"What are you thinking about, Lizzie?", Darcy asked as he joined her in bed, interrupting her thoughts.

"Should I be worried?"

"About what?"

"Well, you managed to keep _three_ secrets from me, babe. Should I be worried?", she asked jokingly.

"No. Never. Two of those secrets were not mine to reveal. But the dancing was and although I enjoyed your reaction very much, it was very difficult for me to not tell you. I did not like how it felt to keep it from you."

"That's good to know. But surprises are good sometimes. I like that you went through all the trouble to impress me."

"Yes, surprises can be good indeed.", he agreed while rubbing _their_ little surprise.

"She's almost here, Will.", Lizzie said with a mixture of fear and joy.

"I know. And apparently she knows it, too.", he added, commenting on the series of kicks he felt.

"Will you stay up with me until she stops moving around? I won't be able to sleep until she does. I know you have work tomorrow-"

"It's okay, my darling. Why don't we get started on those books? I read that babies like to hear their parent's voices. And _I_ like your voice, too. So read to us."

Darcy got up and fetched one of the books he had selected for Lizzie to read. She sat up against the headboard and he lay down next to her and rubbed her belly to try and calm their active baby down.

As she started Chapter 3, she noticed that both Isabella and Darcy were immobile. She hadn't noticed because she was so into the book. She lay the book down on her side table and turned off the lamp.

"Good choice, babe.", she whispered after giving him a good night kiss and settled into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

**I have no idea when the next chapter will be up. And I don't know if next chapter will have the birth of their baby. It depends on where I decide to cut it off. It'll probably end up being the chapter after next. But I'm gonna take an extra long time on that chapter because I want it to be _really_ good.**

**Also, I rewatched Episode 92 of the LBD (you know, the one where Jane takes Bing back?) to kind of guide me a little on the proposal. You guys should rewatch it, too. The last minute gave me Jing feels all over again.  
**

**Thanks for reading! *Cyberhugs***


	35. The Nursery

**Fillery chapter, I know, but after this Lizzie and Darcy finally meet their baby girl. :)**

**Special thanks to Nillie on AO3!**

**Kind of a long one; over 4K. Enjoy!**

* * *

Thursday night, as they got ready for bed, Lizzie reminded Darcy that Caroline was going to come the next day.

"She's coming tomorrow, babe. I have no idea what I want the nursery to look like. Do you have any preferences?", Lizzie asked after brushing her teeth. She sat on the counter as she waited for Darcy to finish up.

With his mouth full of toothpaste Darcy replied, "I will love whatever you decide to go with, my love."

Lizzie laughed at him and then asked more hesitantly, "And what about the cost? How are we going to split the nursery?"

He rinsed his mouth and then turned to face Lizzie. Money conversations were something they tried to avoid. Darcy had been keeping up his end of the bargain by not splurging on Lizzie, but he never agreed to not splurge on his baby girl. "By split, do you mean you want to do fifty-fifty?"

"No. We'd have a very sad nursery if that were the case.", Lizzie joked. "But I don't think you should pay for _everything_. How about you pay for the big ticket items- you know, the furniture- and I buy whatever else we need."

"However you want to do it is fine by me, Lizzie. You have the credit card and you have full discretion on how it should be used.", he said as he helped her off the counter.

"Could this be a solution to our financial disparity? You pay for big stuff, I pay for little stuff?", Lizzie proposed as they crossed into the bedroom.

"If you feel comfortable with that, then yes, I suppose it could be.", Darcy agreed. Who was he to deny her the sense of fulfillment that contributing to their household gave her?

"Also, how would _you_ like to be surprised for a change? No peeking until the nursery is done. You are _prohibited_ from entering her room.", Lizzie decided as she got comfortable on her side of the bed.

"Alright. But that is going to cost you.", he declared before snuggling up next to Lizzie; or rather, her cock-blocking pillow.

She turned her head to face him. "Oh, really? And what do I owe you?", she asked coquettishly.

"I want one million kisses before our daughter is born.", he said with a serious expression.

"One million kisses in 5 weeks? Is that even possible?"

"I do not know. But if _I_ were _you_ , I would get started right away, Miss Bennet…"

Lizzie smiled to herself and then sighed with fake exasperation.

"I'm not one to back down from a challenge, Mr. Darcy.", she stated before disentangling herself from her body pillow and tossing it aside. She turned around completely, so that she was facing him and then kissed his forehead.

"One."

"Only 999,999 kisses to go.", he said with a chuckle.

She laughed with him and then kissed his cheek. "Two."

"At this rate, Isabella will be graduating college before you get to a million.", he teased while rubbing her belly.

"Oh shut up, William.", she said before grabbing his jaw and kissing his mouth vigorously. "Three."

"Mmm. I am extremely fond of those ardent kisses. I will make those worth five."

"How generous of you, my good sir.", Lizzie said with a smile before going back to Darcy's lips.

They spent a few more minutes making out before Lizzie started yawning.

"And here I thought we were having a good time.", Darcy said in response to Lizzie's yawn.

"Nope. Your lips are absolutely _boring_.", Lizzie teased. "Hey, how many kisses did I bank tonight?"

"Oh, I lost count. You make it very hard for me to concentrate sometimes, Lizzie. I guess you will have to start over tomorrow."

Lizzie rolled her eyes at him and snuggled into him.

"No pillow tonight?"

"No. Your arms will have to do." She knew she would probably wake up all kinds of uncomfortable, but that was okay. She really missed sleeping in his arms.

Darcy smiled briefly before hugging Lizzie closer to him and resting his hands on her belly. He hated that damn pillow because it kept him from doing this every night, so he was grateful she didn't want to use it that night.

* * *

DING DONG.

It was just after lunch on Friday when the doorbell rang, announcing Caroline's arrival. Lizzie and Darcy spent every evening this week emptying out the guest room that was closest to their bedroom to make room for the baby. Lizzie had been getting nursery suggestions from her family and friends but they were all so different, so she gave up and hoped Caroline would have some ideas.

"Hey, Caroline! Come on in.", Lizzie said as she opened the door.

"How are you Lizzie?", Caroline asked as she slid her designer shades up from her eyes and onto the top of her head.

"Good. I went for a check-up the other day because I started having these fake contractions. Will and I were freaking out but the doctor said they're normal. Then we felt really foolish because we'd read about the Braxton Hicks contractions in our pregnancy books.", Lizzie informed Caroline as they walked up the stairs and towards the room . " _This_ room is where we decided to put the nursery. It's the closest room to our bedroom."

"Hmm, yes. Lots of space. We could definitely work with this. So, since this is a consultation, tell me what you're thinking, Lizzie. Any ideas about how you want her nursery to look?", Caroline inquired.

"Well, I really don't know. I know I don't want to go the traditional 'everything pink because she's a girl' route. And I'd like it to be simple but not so simple that it looks plain. And it can't be so decorative that it's not functional, ya know? I shouldn't have to worry about her ruining anything in here or her not being able to play."

"You're keeping the carpet, then?"

"Yes."

"Okay…", Caroline replied making notes. "Any specific colors in mind?"

"I definitely want this to be a relaxing place for us… so soft colors. I'm leaning towards soft yellow for the walls."

"Okay… and what pieces of furniture do you already have? I know Fitz and Brandon gifted you a crib?"

"Yes. They gave us a lovely white crib that transitions to a bed. But we don't have anything else. We need a changing table, a chair for me, shelves, a chest of drawers…"

"Mmhmm… alright. And one last question: silver or gold?"

"What? Umm… gold?"

"Perfect. So this is what I'm picturing…", Caroline said showing Lizzie a quick sketch she made in the notebook. She explained to Lizzie that she wanted to stray from yellow and more into a very light brown instead. And she wanted to have light pink and gold accents.

"The crib will be the focal point. And we'll put the changing table _here_. A bookcase _here_ because I know you two like reading and your kid will be a total bookworm. Your chair can be over by _this_ corner or perhaps a couch? Yes, there's space enough for a small loveseat as well. The drawers over _here._ We can also get an organizer for the closet so that it can double your storage. And very simple decorations and curtains because we'll have gold accents on all the walls and on the wall behind the crib we'll have her name monogrammed. You can have 'Isabella' or 'Isabella Darcy', 'Izzy', _whatever_. And I don't do wallpaper or stickers, so we'll have a professional come and paint it to your liking. Here, have a look at this list of fonts."

Lizzie was impressed with Caroline's professionalism and her talent. Lizzie gave very vague ideas and Caroline took them and morphed them into something real.

"Wow, Caroline this sounds great."

"I'm glad you like it. Do you and Darcy have a budget or do I have unlimited access?"

"No budget but I'd like to keep the numbers as low as possible."

"Okay. I can work with that. Just because I have a _great_ fashion sense doesn't mean I'm not economical, Lizzie. It's just that a lot of the things I own and surround myself with are great quality, so to the untrained eye it may seem like I don't look at price tags, but I do. It just so happens that great quality things tend to last longer and I think the extra cost is worth it. But I am _always_ on the lookout for a cheaper alternative, if available. You already have a nice crib, so that saves us a few hundred dollars. If you're willing, we can go find some furniture to match the crib now. You can also select the accent pieces while we're out. Is that okay? If you prefer, I could just go out and look at everything myself and take pictures or-"

"No, it's fine. It'd be nice to get out of the house."

"Perfect. Do you need to grab anything before we head out?"

"Just my bag.", Lizzie said.

"Alright. I'll be in my car out front. I'll call the store and let them know we're coming so they can have someone ready to help us.", Caroline said with a smile and left the soon-to-be nursery.

Lizzie looked around the empty room. Pretty soon it would be full of all of Isabella's things. She felt a strong urge to cry as she walked over to the closet and saw the tiny baby clothes hanging there. She sniffled as she tiptoed to reach the designer diaper bag Caroline had given her at the baby shower.

 _"I might as well start using it now… pretty soon it'll be filled with diapers and bottles and…"_ , Lizzie let the tears flow freely as she walked to her bedroom and got her wallet and keys from her old purse and put them into her new bag. She wiped her face, touched up her mascara, and went down to meet Caroline.

"Oh! I see you're already breaking in your diaper bag! Isn't it fabulous? You can't even tell it's a diaper bag! And I didn't even pay full price."

"Really? That makes me feel a lot better, to be honest.", Lizzie laughed. They drove off toward the furniture store.

"Yes. Since the shower was spur-of-the-moment, I had limited places to look for a gift. So I went to the closest mall and there was an outlet there. I went in just to look around for myself, but then I saw the baby bag and thought it'd be perfect for you! I know you're not really into labels but the bag is cute _and_ functional."

"How'd you get the discount?"

Caroline chuckled. "Oh, Lizzie. It was easy. Batting my eyelashes, flipping my hair, and leaning forward _never_ fails. Not that I wouldn't have paid full price- you're definitely worth it- but I just wanted to see if it would work. I've been out of the game for a few months, ya know, dating Aaron and all.

"What did _he_ have to say about your tactics?"

"He wasn't there; we split up to buy your gifts. I left him and his brothers in a baby store at the mall. But I'm sure he would've been impressed. He does the same thing when he goes out. He says he can't remember the last time he paid for Starbucks because the baristas always give him free drinks.", Caroline boasted.

 _"Clearly those two are perfect for each other.",_ Lizzie thought. "So… I hear Lydia and Charlotte are very interested in the other two Fields brothers… Care to tell me a little more about these guys? They seemed nice at the wedding but I didn't really talk to them much. I'd like to know who my sister and bestie are falling for."

The ladies chatted the whole ride and all throughout their shopping excursion. They spent practically the whole day out shopping and managed to find everything they needed. They bought paint, and found all the furniture they wanted, Lizzie picked out all the accent pieces and Caroline hired some people to come over the next day to paint and do the monogramming. Lizzie wasn't sure, but she could swear Caroline was trying extra hard to please her as a continued apology for how she treated her all those months ago.

"All the stuff we didn't bring with us today is going to be delivered tomorrow morning. I'll be here early so we can get started. If all goes well, this nursery could be ready by the end of this weekend.", Caroline said with a smile.

"Wow! Really? That'd be great. One less thing to worry about. Alright, Caroline. I'll see you tomorrow.", Lizzie said before giving Caroline a quick hug through the car's window.

* * *

Darcy was already home by the time they got back so Lizzie went and hid her shopping bags in the nursery and then went looking for him. He was in his office, as expected. Lizzie told him about her day and that the nursery might be done soon.

"Excellent. Did you eat already?"

"Caroline and I got a quick bite but that was a few hours ago."

"I was waiting so we could have dinner together. I feel ravenous."

At dinner, Darcy asked about Isabella and how she behaved today.

"She was actually really good, babe. She moved around a lot but she wasn't kung-fu kicking me, which is what really makes me uncomfortable. I guess all the walking tired her out. I'm gonna start walking more. Maybe around the neighborhood."

"It _is_ safe around here, but I would prefer for you to avoid walking around alone. We have a lot of land on our property, though. Maybe you could just walk around here?"

"Maybe. But maybe I wouldn't _have to_ walk alone if we knew some of our neighbors."

"Everyone keeps to themselves around here. The Darcy family has always sent 'Happy Holidays' cards in the mail before Thanksgiving and we always receive some in return, but that's about it."

"So you don't know if any of them have little kids?"

"I haven't a clue."

 _"I'm going to take it upon myself to find out, then.",_ Lizzie decided as she added 'visit neighbors' to her mental to-do list.

The next day was a sunny Saturday. Lizzie ordered Darcy to avoid the nursery at all costs, so he was more or less imprisoned in his office when the furniture started arriving.

"Just stay in here. No peeking. Call me if you need anything but don't go outside. Okay?", she commanded.

Darcy nodded his head yes and Lizzie gave him a quick peck on the lips before leaving him to go show the movers where to put the furniture.

Caroline arrived and everything went smoothly. The walls were painted and dried, the furniture was put together and placed, and Lizzie and Caroline decided that tomorrow they would put all the finishing touches. They didn't want anyone in there breathing in the fresh paint.

* * *

Sunday brought them the completion of the nursery. The room was aired out and it looked great already, it just needed little items here and there to make the room look complete.

Lizzie bought baby books to put in the bookcase, so she was organizing those while Caroline hung the curtains. Then, Lizzie set up the crib bedding set while Caroline hung up the wall accessories.

"I see you purchased some picture frames. Are those for your maternity photos?"

"No. I was going to save those for pictures of Isabella after she's born. I haven't taken any maternity photos and I don't think I will. Will and I have plenty of pictures of on our phones."

"Unacceptable, Lizzie Bennet! Where is Darcy? We're going to fix this right now."

"But what about the nursery? We're almost done."

"The nursery won't be complete without a good maternity photo! Let's go find Darcy so you two can take a proper picture."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously.", Caroline insisted.

Lizzie scavenged through the drawers in her room looking for white t-shirts for her and Darcy so they could kind of match in their picture. She found a white v-neck for him and she borrowed one of his tank tops, which fit almost perfectly with her big boobs and belly stretching it out. Darcy and Lizzie posed by a really pretty flower garden they had on the property. Darcy felt awkward in front of the camera at first, but eventually loosened up and Caroline was able to get some really great shots. They selected two for framing: a formal one where Lizzie and Darcy have their hands on the belly and a less formal one with them hugging and Darcy giving Lizzie a kiss on the cheek while she smiled.

Caroline was content with her photo shoot. "They're not from a professional camera, but they'll have to do. You're lucky your phone's camera is insanely good quality, Darcy. You print those two out as 4"x6" and bring them to us in the nursery."

"I'm allowed up there now?", he asked with his eyebrows arching in surprise.

Lizzie smiled. "Yes. We're practically done."

Lizzie and Caroline finished fixing up everything while Darcy printed the two pictures out in his office.

Darcy knocked on the nursery and Lizzie said, "Come in!"

**[Now would be a great time to look at a picture of the[nursery](http://nanie93.tumblr.com/post/75811108740/isabellas-nursery-looks-something-like-this). :P]**

"Wow.", was all Darcy said as he looked around. The room looked so warm and inviting. The crib looked perfect for his little princess and he thought the monogrammed ' _Isabella A. Darcy_ ' behind the crib was a nice touch. He wasn't sure how much Lizzie had spent, and he was definitely _not_ going to ask, but the room looked like she had put their card to good use and he was glad.

"It's beautiful, Lizzie. Isabella is going to love it."

Lizzie grinned and asked, "Where are the pictures?"

Lizzie framed one and Darcy framed another while Caroline framed Lizzie's first ultrasound printout.

They all hung the pictures above the small loveseat that was near Lizzie's chair, and the room was finally complete.

"And now, my work here is done!", Caroline exclaimed triumphantly, with her hands on her hips.

"Thank you _so_ much, Caroline! Everything turned out wonderful! I really appreciate your help!", Lizzie said earnestly.

"Yes, Caroline. You are a great interior decorator. Very efficient. I would definitely recommend your services if I ever hear that someone needs assistance."

"It was my pleasure.", she said with a big smile. She didn't have feelings for Darcy anymore, but his opinion still held a lot of clout for her.

She hugged Lizzie, shook Darcy's hand, and then said, "Well, I'll leave you to enjoy your new nursery. I'd recommend having one of cleaning employees come and give the room a good scrubbing tomorrow since there were lots of people up here. _Á tout á l'heure_ , Darcy family. I'll see myself out."

Lizzie and Darcy watched Caroline leave and when she closed the door behind her, Lizzie squealed and said, "This is our daughter's room, Will! She's going to be here soon and she finally has a place that's just for her!"

"You did a great job, Lizzie."

"It was mostly Caroline. She's really talented. But I _did_ help."

"Mmhmm.", Darcy replied as he went in for a hug.

Lizzie hugged him back really hard and then just stood there in his embrace.

"I'm ecstatic, Will, I am. But I am also terrified.", she confessed into his chest.

"There is no doubt in my mind that you will be an amazing mother, Elizabeth, and I mean that. Being scared is normal. I'm scared, too.", he said, trying to mollify her.

Darcy let Lizzie go and pulled her chin up so he could look into her eyes and let her know he was feeling everything she was feeling; that she wasn't alone in her simultaneous fear and excitement. A tear managed to free itself from her eye, and he wiped it off her cheek with his thumb.

"No tears, my darling. It causes me great discomfort to see you upset."

Lizzie sniffled and smiled. "No tears."

Darcy bent down to kiss Lizzie and she tip-toed, as was custom for them. She put her arms around his neck and he placed his hands on her belly as their kiss intensified.

"I love you, Elizabeth Bennet.", Darcy professed while he stared into her eyes with his penetrating gaze.

"And _I_ love _you_ , William Darcy.", replied Lizzie with a smile and an equally intense look in her eyes.

Darcy was the one to break their little staring contest by giving Lizzie a kiss on her forehead.

"The day is still young. Would you like to go out? You deserve a treat after all your hard work."

"How about we go out to a frozen yogurt shop? I want something sweet. Izzy's taking a nap and I'm sure that will wake her right up."

"Alright. Frozen yogurt it is."

"And after that… we could take a stroll around the neighborhood… and ring some doorbells…"

"Why are you _so_ insistent on meeting our neighbors?"

"Because I come from a place where everybody knows _everybody_ and it's weird that I've been living here for _months_ and I haven't seen another person around here. Not even when I used to take the bus!"

"The properties around here are all extremely large, Lizzie. We wouldn't be able to walk around and meet everyone all in one day. Some people might not even answer the door."

"That's fine with me. We can at least say we tried. Come on, Will! Where's your sense of community?"

"Fine."

* * *

After eating some froyo, the couple returned home. Lizzie and Darcy walked around ringing doorbells and introducing themselves to their neighbors. The few houses they hit had old couples or widows but they finally got lucky with one house.

DING DONG.

"Hello?", said a little speaker next to the doorbell.

"Hello! I'm your neighbor! I live a few houses down and I've never introduced myself. A little late, I know, but I would like to get to know everyone around here."

"Did you just move in?", said a voice that sounded like an old woman.

"Not really. I've been officially living at the Darcy estate for about four months now."

"The Darcy estate had been sold?!"

"No! I'm living there with my boyfriend, William Darcy."

"Oh! I see! Well, sure, why not? They always send a lovely holiday card. I'll be down shortly."

When the woman opened the door, she was surprised to see Lizzie's belly.

"Oh my! Look at you!... I'm Mrs. Harrison.", she said cheerfully.

Lizzie laughed and said, "Hello! I am Elizabeth. Nice to meet you. This is William Darcy."

Darcy smiled and shook the old woman's hand. He wanted to just hurry up and go home.

"Grandma! Grandma! Look what I made!", yelled a little girl from inside the house.

"Oh excuse her. That is my granddaughter.", she said to them before turning to the little girl and saying, "Sshh! You'll wake your little sister!"

That peaked Lizzie's interest.

"Sorry about that. I have a five year-old granddaughter and my daughter just gave birth to another a few months ago. They've moved in with me so I wouldn't be alone. My husband passed before my daughter gave birth again."

Lizzie and Darcy expressed their condolences and were invited in. Lizzie could tell Darcy didn't want to stay so she told him to go home and to come pick her up later. He happily agreed and left Lizzie at the Harrison estate to make friends with Mrs. Harrison and her daughter. The daughter was in her thirties, but she and Lizzie were still able to talk and get along despite the slight age difference. When Lizzie left the Harrisons a couple of hours later, she was certain that little Bella would have many play dates with baby Nicole.

"I've secured our daughter's first friend!", Lizzie said excitedly on the short drive back home. "They also recommended this child birthing class that I could take to learn more and to meet other moms, which is just what I needed because I am desperately lacking friends in this town!"

* * *

September ended, bringing in the month of October. Her last full month of pregnancy was a busy one for Lizzie. Between the doctor's appointments every week; the birthing classes; shopping for more baby-related things; the rearranging of their closets and just about anything else that could be organized; hanging out with the Harrisons and some of the ladies from the birthing class; the monitoring of Lizzie Bennet Enterprises (basically her two YouTube channels and her employees); and making sure to spend as much alone time with Darcy as possible before the baby came, Lizzie _still_ managed to vlog.

She made a wedding weekend vlog where she dished on Ricky's awesome wedding and nice new wife. She also told everyone about her surprise baby shower and -with Jane's permission, of course- Jane's engagement. She filmed a nursery room vlog where she sat down on the loveseat and talked about Caroline's mad skills. She didn't really want people to see where her baby would be sleeping (she kind of wanted to keep that private) so she confined herself to that corner of the room. The last-minute maternity photos were in the frame and she got a lot of compliments on them. She also reminded everyone who kept asking about the name that, "Little Bowtie's name will be revealed after she's born. No, I'm not going to vlog the birth, but after she's here, Will and I will definitely make a video. I promise."

* * *

**So next chapter the family comes to Lizzie and Darcy's house to await the baby. I haven't finished the next chapter yet, but I just decided to split up what I had written to give you guys something to chew on while I finish it.**

**If you're caught up on the story, I just want to say thanks again. The fact that some people have stuck around for this long amazes me :P**

**xoxoxo**


	36. The Darcy-Bennet Love Child Is Born

**Earlier I accidentally uploaded the same document from previous chapter! Sorry for the confusion! But this is the real Chapter 36 lol.**

**This one's a little long; approx. 5K. Enjoy!**

* * *

It was the end of October and Halloween was upon them. Darcy liked to celebrate holidays at work to boost morale, so everyone was allowed to wear costumes that day. Halloween fell on a Thursday, so they would all be talking about everyone's costumes the next day. They even had a company-wide Halloween Party which Darcy and Lizzie attended as Batman and Cat Woman. Those that were oblivious enough to be unaware of Lizzie and Darcy's relationship couldn't stay ignorant any longer because the pair were inseparable the whole party. Darcy even made a little speech thanking everyone for their hard work and announced that the following week he would probably be absent from Pemberley Digital because Lizzie was going to give birth to their daughter.

Lizzie was due to give birth in less than a week and her belly (along with pretty much every other part of her body) was enormous, so the black costume made her feel a tiny bit slimmer. When she posted a picture of them in their costumes to her Twitter, all the fans went nuts and some commented on how Wickham was once Batman. Lizzie wrinkled her nose in disgust at the memory and ignored the tweets mentioning him.

That same weekend, their families started flying in. Aunt Catherine was one of the first to show. She was going to be staying at her condo in San Francisco while the Bennets, Gigi, Bing, and Charlotte all stayed with Lizzie and Darcy in their home. It was the first time Mr. and Mrs. B. would be visiting and Darcy was a little nervous. Sure, they were family and he felt comfortable around them, but this was something new. He hoped they'd like the house and that they would feel as comfortable in his home as they made him feel in theirs.

* * *

When Mrs. Bennet arrived at the Darcy estate, she nearly fainted.

"Lizzie, you've been livin' in this big ole mansion this whole time?!", she exclaimed clutching at her chest.

"You are _such_ a drama queen, Mom!", Lydia remarked. She wasn't fazed because she had already been there, but her first time seeing Darcy's crib was not too far from her mother's reaction.

Mr. Bennet was calm, cool, and collected, as always, but he was a little jittery because he was excited to see the library that Darcy had told him about.

"Ellie, avoid sharp objects! That belly looks like it's about to pop!", he teased.

"I'm ready for it to pop, Dad! She needs to come out soon because I don't think I can take much more of this.", Lizzie replied. She was sick of being pregnant already.

"Come on in, Francine. Lizzie and Lydia can give you a tour. Thomas, you come with me. I will show you the library.", Darcy said pleasantly.

Soon after, Gigi arrived from Sanditon; followed by Bing and Jane from New York and Charlotte from Collins&Collins. Team FIGI was reunited when Fitz and Brandon came over in the evening and Mrs. Bennet was delighted to see Aunt Catherine again.

Lizzie waited until they were all together to reveal the nursery. While everyone was lounging in the living room, Lizzie said that whoever wanted to go upstairs and see the baby's room was welcome to do so. They all had different reasons for wanting to see the room. Fitz and Brandon wanted to see how their crib had been put to use; all the ladies wanted to see if their suggestions had been incorporated into the design; Bing wanted to see Jane's reaction to the nursery because since she had accepted his proposal, he'd been dreaming of the future and that dream included a handful of little rugrats; and Mr. Bennet, who normally wouldn't be interested in that kind of stuff, was curious to see if Lizzie had put any train figurines in there. She hadn't, to his disappointment.

The weekend was spent catching up and getting excited for the forthcoming arrival of Isabella Anne Darcy into the world. Lizzie's final few days of pregnancy were better than she expected they would be. Isabella dropped not too long ago, taking pressure off of Lizzie's stomach and lungs, so she could finally eat a full meal without feeling sick and she didn't run out of breath as quickly. Also, she could've sworn that her face was less puffy.

* * *

Lizzie's due date, Monday, November 4th, 2013, arrived and she was hoping Izzy would come out on time. That morning, she went for a short walk with Darcy, Gigi, Lydia, Charlotte, and Jing in the hopes that walking might help start contractions. All that did was make the dull backache she'd been experiencing get a little worse.

Evening approached and Lizzie called her doctor to say that there were still no signs of labor contractions.

"I've only experienced the Braxton-Hicks contractions. I've tried timing them but they only come randomly, so I know they aren't the real deal. But they have been coming more frequently since I saw you last week."

"Okay. Well, as soon as the contractions become regular and start to last longer, give me a call with the details. I think the focus on giving birth on your actual due date has your body tensed up. Do something fun or relaxing. I suggest having your partner give you a massage or sex; preferably both. It's not guaranteed, but sometimes that helps. It can't hurt to try."

"Alright. Thank you, doctor."

Everyone was really supportive and told her not to worry about the due date. They would stay as long as they could to wait for Isabella. Her mother told her that it was karma because Lizzie was a week overdue.

"You've been stubborn and unpredictable since the day you were born! You came out kickin' and screamin'. Let's see if my grandbaby has the same attitude."

Lizzie grabbed all the girls (excluding Aunt Catherine and Mrs. Bennet, who were having a lively discussion about Isabella's first birthday party) and escorted them to the theater where they were going to watch a movie. Lizzie's last movie night before she became a mother.

"Before we start the movie, I just want to thank you all for everything. Gigi, you helped me and Will get together and I'm almost certain that if hadn't been for your plotting with Fitz, Isabella wouldn't exist. Would Will and I have gotten together? Maybe. But you and this baby definitely sped things up for us, so thank you."

"You're welcome, Lizzie. You've made my big brother so happy. There was no way I was going to stand by and let him lose his chance with you."

"Lydia, you were there for me when I found out I was pregnant and I appreciate your support and your lightheartedness throughout this whole pregnancy."

"You're totes welcome, Lizzie. It's what little sisters do.", she replied and she gave Gigi a high-five.

"Jane, you moved away right when my life decided to do a 180.", Lizzie joked. "And we haven't been physically present for each other this _whole year_ … but I still felt your love and support every step of the way through our Domino video calls. So thank you, Janie."

"Awww, Lizzie!", Jane replied.

"And lastly, Charlotte. My since-fetuses bestie! You have been extremely handy lately whenever I have a mini-breakdown about the baby. Thank you for always being there to bring me back to reality."

"Anytime."

"Enough with all the sappy stuff! I'm just very grateful for the support system I have and I know you all will make amazing aunts!", Lizzie said wiping a tear. "Now, on with the movie before I start crying."

Darcy was having a similar moment with Mr. Bennet, Fitz, and Bing. After Aunt Catherine had to excuse herself to take a phone call, Mrs. Bennet began teaching Brandon the recipe for the lasagna she made for dinner; so it was just them in the library that Mr. Bennet had fallen in love with. They were all seated around the fireplace with drinks in hand, discussing the weather, when Darcy felt it was time to share what was on his heart.

"I am not the most… _social_ person-", he started but was interrupted by Fitz.

"You can say _that_ again. Agoraphobic lobster, anyone?"

Bing and Mr. Bennet chuckled but Darcy narrowed his eyes at Fitz.

"-but I do believe in quality over quantity. I consider you three my best friends, believe it or not, and I am honored and grateful to have you all present for the birth my first child."

They all clinked glasses and Fitz took back what he said.

"I was only joking, man. Your social skills have improved _big-time_ since you started dating Lizzie. She's a miracle worker."

Darcy was once again laughed at by his friends but he just smiled along because he agreed completely. Lizzie had changed his life for the better and soon she would give him the best gift anyone could be given: a baby.

* * *

That night, Lizzie told Darcy what the doctor suggested.

"So _she_ ordered me to give you a massage and sex?", Darcy asked with amusement.

"Doctor's orders, babe. I swear.", she said trying to keep a straight face. It sounded like she was making it up. Not that it would matter if she was. Lizzie and Darcy hadn't had actual sex in weeks because she was either tired or uncomfortable or just not in the mood, so he was _more_ than willing to follow the doctor's orders.

Darcy held up his index finger and said, "Give me a minute.", before leaving the bedroom. He returned with a chair with no arms.

"Sit backwards.", he commanded before going into the bathroom.

Lizzie did as she was told and sat facing the back of the chair. She rested her chin on the back and sighed. Sitting in that position felt really comfortable.

Darcy returned and explained, "We don't have any oils, my darling, so lotion will have to do."

"That's fine with me."

Darcy helped Lizzie remove her top and then started massaging her whole back and hips. There was a lot of tickling; most of it unintentional, and Lizzie did feel much calmer afterwards.

"You are a _horrible_ masseuse, Will, but thank you. I feel a little better.", she commented as she rose from her seat.

"And now onto part two of the doctor's orders.", he said, placing a kiss on the back of Lizzie's neck. "How are we going to do this?"

Lizzie leaned into his kiss and said, "Two things come into play here: first, my lower back has been killing me for the past week and second, no way am I going to do any of the work. Got it?"

"Clear as day.", he answered before speedily stripping off his clothing and helping Lizzie wiggle out of hers.

Darcy was at her feet to help her step out of her pants and underwear when she laughed and mentioned, "My belly is so big that I can't even see your head right now, Will. This is crazy."

He laughed with her and then stood up to face her. He looked her up and down for a few seconds and took a mental picture of the 40-weeks pregnant woman standing before him.

"I wonder when the next time will be.", he said, still eyeing her.

"Next time for what?"

"The next time you will look like this."

Lizzie made an offended face and crossed her arms. "Uh uh. No way! Don't even _think_ about baby number two. That'll be _years_ from now. _Trust me_."

"Alright, alright. I apologize. I was just wondering because you make a very beautiful pregnant woman.", he said trying to redeem himself.

"Aww, thank you, babe but I'll give you something _else_ to wonder about. Wonder about how _this_ might be the last time we have sex for a _long time_. After Izzy gets here, who knows when we'll have the chance."

Darcy's brows rose in alarm and he said, "I hadn't considered that... Let us try and make this memorable, then."

* * *

The doctor's orders proved to be effective because just a few hours after Lizzie fell asleep, she was awakened by intense pain in her lower back. She lay in bed timing the pains and finally there was a pattern to her contractions. She called the doctor and was told that as soon as she started experiencing them more frequently and for longer periods, she should call again and go to the hospital.

It was 3am and she couldn't go back to sleep, so she turned on her lamp, picked up the book on her night stand, and read. The contractions hurt but they didn't last too long and they weren't very close together. When sitting in bed became too uncomfortable, she got up and began roaming the halls, leaning against the wall for support whenever a contraction came.

Darcy woke up to find Lizzie gone and became worried. He found her walking around in the hall and she explained that she didn't want to wake him up. She told him to go back to sleep but he wouldn't dare leave her alone when she was in pain, so they walked around together for a few hours before people started waking up.

It was almost lunchtime when Lizzie finally called her doctor to say her contractions had been coming ten minutes apart for about an hour.

"Alright. Go to the hospital so we can get you checked out. You're probably ready to be admitted."

Lizzie was beyond excited. "Finally!", she yelled. She wanted Izzy out already.

Darcy grabbed her hospital bag and escorted Lizzie to the car. "I will call when they say she is almost ready. The drivers will take you all to the hospital.", he said to his house guests before leaving. Lizzie didn't want everyone to join them until it was necessary. She and Darcy planned to spend their last hours before parenthood with just each other.

Darcy was internally freaking out. He was trying to stay calm for Lizzie's sake but he was excited to meet his baby girl and upset because Lizzie was in pain and he couldn't do anything about it.

"What is the name of the hospital, again?", he asked in the car.

Lizzie turned to him and gave him a deadly glare. " _ARE YOU KIDDING ME?_ YOU DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF THE HOSPITAL?! I'M GOING TO GIVE BIRTH TO YOUR DAUGHTER IN WHO KNOWS HOW LONG AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHICH HOSPITAL?!"

She was livid.

"I know _where_ it is, Lizzie, but I don't recall the name. I just wanted to put it into the GPS so we could get there faster.", he explained calmly.

She was going to say something but then she had another contraction and just hummed it out. Then she started crying.

"What's wrong, baby? Don't cry…", Darcy pleaded. He wanted so badly to comfort her but he had to keep his eyes on the road.

"I'm sorry about earlier. My emotions are all over the place right now."

They got to the hospital and everything checked out perfectly. "Yes. You are ready to be admitted. You are about four centimeters dilated. Almost halfway there!"

She was admitted and given the largest private room the hospital had available. Darcy helped her change into the hospital gown and after she got hooked up to some IVs, they spent the next couple of hours walking around talking about Isabella, with Lizzie leaning on Darcy during each contraction.

When it was past 6pm, Lizzie was almost eight centimeters dilated and she asked Darcy to tell everyone to come over.

Lizzie was lying on her side holding on to the railing of the hospital bed as she finished going through another painful contraction.

"I can't take this anymore, Will... I need something to make this pain go away! Please!", she begged. She held out as long as she could but she couldn't bare it anymore. Every contraction felt like something was trying to scrape her organs out with a rake.

"Do you think I'm a wimp? Should I just toughen up and take it? Women give birth without epidural all the time.", she asked with a frown.

"No, Lizzie. You are definitely _not_ a wimp. If you feel it is too much for you, then that is perfectly okay. You are entitled to a positive birthing experience and if medication is going to help you with that, then by all means proceed.", Darcy encouraged her.

He told the nurse Lizzie wanted medication and when she showed up with the anesthesiologist, Lizzie made it clear that she didn't want to be completely numb. She'd read stories about women who couldn't feel a thing and how that made it more difficult to push. The epidural kicked in a little while after it was administered and her water broke shortly after. At first, Lizzie was embarrassed because she thought she'd peed herself, but then she realized what it was and asked Darcy to get the nurse.

When all their family arrived later on, they found a very serene Lizzie chewing on ice as her doting boyfriend read to her.

* * *

"Oh, Elizabeth! My baby is havin' her baby!", cheered Mrs. Bennet as she went over to give her daughter a kiss on the cheek.

Mr. Bennet could only stare at Lizzie lying on the bed with that big belly and all those machines and cables stuck to her. When he saw her, he saw his little girl that wouldn't go to bed without a bedtime story; his little girl that used to help him set up his train set around Christmas time. But now his little girl would have her own little girl to reminisce on and that hit him hard. He was quiet the whole time and when it was time for everyone who wasn't going to be present to get kicked out of the room, he gave Lizzie a kiss on the forehead and said, "Good luck, Ellie. Don't forget to push."

She rolled her eyes at her father and laughed. "Thanks, Dad."

Lizzie was fully dilated and ready to go. Darcy was on one side, holding her hand, and her mother was on the other side squealing with excitement.

Jane, Lydia, Charlotte, and Gigi were all spread out behind the doctor and nurses.

"Are you ready, Elizabeth?", asked the nurse.

"Yes. And please, call me Lizzie."

"Alright; it's show time!", exclaimed the doctor.

"When you feel the next contraction, I'm going to need you to push, okay?"

Lizzie nodded yes and when it was time, she pushed as hard as she could for ten seconds.

"You're doing great, Lizzie!", cheered Mrs. Bennet.

"Alright, push again. 1,2,3…"

Lizzie pushed and then let out a loud whimper.

All Darcy could do was let Lizzie squeeze the life out his hand and stroke her head. He felt extremely guilty.

"I need to push!", Lizzie said after a contraction.

"No, wait. Wait for the next contraction. Don't waste your energy."

"Ahh!", she screamed.

She was panting and closing her eyes really tightly. "I don't think I can do this… I'm sorry, Will…", she mumbled through the pain.

"No, no, Lizzie. Look at me. Look at me. You can do this. We're almost done. Isabella's almost here, baby. Just push a little more."

"One big push, Lizzie. Come on. You've got this!", encouraged Lydia.

Lizzie pushed for ten seconds and was rewarded with praise from everyone in the room.

The doctor said, "Beautiful, beautiful. We can see the top of your daughter's head. She has a lot of hair, by the way."

Lizzie's eyes brightened and she laughed. "Really?"

"Yes. Now, come on. Push some more!"

Lizzie groaned and grunted and then let out a guttural "AHH!"

"Good, good. Come on, one more. Her head is almost out."

"I can feel the stretching... Oh my God that _hurts_!", she cried as she pushed. Giving birth hurt like hell even with an epidural. She didn't even want to think about how much it would've hurt without it.

"Wonderful, Lizzie. The head is out. We just need her shoulders to come out and then we can take it from there."

Lizzie pushed some more and took some deep breaths.

"Excellent! One more big one, Lizzie. Give it all you've got! Your baby is almost here. Hubby? Can you please pull her knee back? Mom, you too?", ordered the doctor.

"You can do this, Lizzie. Our princess is almost here. Just one more push.", Darcy said, trying to energize Lizzie for the last big push of her labor.

She looked at him and nodded.

"Mmmmmm!", she moaned painfully and then the doctor pulled Isabella out.

"Look down, look down!", said the doctor and before Lizzie could blink, her daughter was on her chest and she was being rubbed up by a nurse.

"Oh my God…", Lizzie sobbed.

The baby was flailing her little arms and legs but she wasn't crying yet.

Mrs. Bennet and all the ladies were crying tears of joy and Darcy was just staring at the pink little dark-haired human on Lizzie's chest.

Lizzie asked between breaths, "Is she… okay?...Why isn't she… crying?"

"It takes a few seconds sometimes. Give her a little while. She's new out here, remember? She's never had to use her lungs before.", joked the doctor.

And as soon she was done being cleaned up by the nurse, Isabella let out a little "Wah!" and Lizzie began bawling.

"It's okay, baby girl. I know you didn't wanna come out. It's okay. Mommy's right here, Izzy.", she whispered to the baby as she hugged her tight. All the pain she felt during the labor was forgotten as soon as she heard her baby wail.

"Thank you, Lizzie. Thank you so much…", whispered Darcy as he kissed her on the cheek. Darcy couldn't describe what he was feeling in words. It was just pure elation to finally see Isabella. He wiped his face, for he too had been crying.

"Oh, Will! We have a baby!", Lizzie exclaimed. She couldn't ever remember feeling happier.

"Yes, we do.", he replied with a big smile. "You did a splendid job, Lizzie. Thank you."

He bent down to kiss her on the lips and then he kissed Isabella on the top of her head. The nurse placed a little hat on her head and then asked Darcy if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord.

When he was done, he looked at his new little family. Lizzie lay there all sweaty and flushed from the exertion but to him, she never looked more radiant and beautiful than in that moment, holding their new baby girl.

She looked up and asked with a big smile, "Do you wanna meet your daughter?"

Darcy was hesitant because he didn't want to drop her, but he agreed to take her and when he did, he didn't want to let her go. She fit perfectly in his arms.

"Alright, daddy, can you bring the baby over here? We need to weigh her and measure her.", asked the nurse. While the baby was busy, they took that opportunity for Lizzie to push out the placenta and the last remnants of Isabella's nine-month stay in the world's most comfortable hotel.

"Isabella Anne Darcy. 8lbs 7oz. 20.5 inches.", stated the nurse.

Mrs. Bennet was smothering her daughter with lots of kisses and hugs. "Congratulations, Lizzie! My first grandbaby! Oh, I'm so happy!"

Gigi went over to Darcy and said, "Congrats, big brother! You're a father now!". She gave him a really tight hug and then went to congratulate Lizzie with the rest of the girls.

When they were done checking the baby out, she was given back to Lizzie so that they could bond and so she could feed her. After a quick lesson on breastfeeding, all the hospital people were gone, leaving just family and friends.

"Lydia, dear, go get Bing and your father and Mrs. DeBourgh! They need to meet this little angel!", demanded Mrs. Bennet.

"Let's _all_ go get them, Mom. Let's give Lizzie and Darcy a few minutes alone with their daughter…", Jane insisted.

"Alright. Fine. But they're gonna have her all to themselves once we're gone. I don't see the need…", she argued as she left the room.

Jane turned and winked at Lizzie before she left. Lizzie mouthed, "Thank you, Janie."

So it was just the three of them. Izzy, Lizzie, and Darcy.

* * *

"How do you feel, my love? You must be exhausted.", he asked, removing his phone from his pocket to text Fitz, Aaron, and Caroline the good news.

"Actually, not really. I was exhausted when I was pushing her out but now, I'm almost hyper.", she explained. Isabella was sucking away at full speed.

"Poor thing must have been hungry!", Lizzie said to Isabella.

"You are amazing, Lizzie Bennet. Truly astonishing.", Darcy complimented her.

"Thank you, babe. I appreciate the support. I hope I didn't crush your hand."

"No, it is still functional.", he said while wiggling his fingers.

Lizzie laughed at him and sighed. "This feels like a dream. I can't believe the little person that we've been waiting for all this time is finally here, Will."

"Neither can I.", he agreed. He kissed Lizzie tenderly on the lips and when he pulled away she grunted in protest.

"I push out your baby and all you can give me is one _measly_ kiss?"

Darcy chuckled and said, "My apologies.", before returning his lips to hers.

Their kiss was infused with all the excitement and joy they were feeling at the moment.

"I love you, Lizzie."

"I love you, too.", she said with a tired smile.

And it was at that moment that Darcy decided he needed to amend his will. If anything were to happen to him, he wanted everything he owned to be left to Lizzie and Isabella. They weren't yet married, so all his things wouldn't automatically get left to them. Gigi wouldn't ever deny them their fair share, but still, he needed to do it.

"Lizzie, I want to talk to you about something-", he started saying, but was interrupted by the door. Their families had returned.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Nevermind. We can talk about it later.", he said kissing her hand.

Aunt Catherine burst into tears when she saw Isabella on Lizzie's chest and said, "Oh, I apologize, everyone, but I can't help but think of my sister. She would've been so overjoyed at her beautiful granddaughter!"

Darcy swallowed hard and Lizzie looked up to see if he was okay.

"Will?"

He had a faraway look in his eye but quickly snapped out of it when Lizzie called him.

"Are you okay?"

"I am fine. My parents would have been very happy indeed.", he said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Have you guys taken any pictures with the baby yet?", asked Gigi in an attempt to change the mood.

"No."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Gimme your phones, guys. We need to take the first official Darcy-Bennet family photo!", she declared.

Isabella had stopped eating and was quickly falling asleep, so they tried to snap a good one while she was still up. Darcy bent down close to Lizzie and Isabella and they grinned. When Gigi had taken a picture on Lizzie's phone, she switched to Darcy's phone and snapped a picture of him and Lizzie both kissing Isabella.

"Aww these are great!", she commented.

Lizzie and Darcy tweeted their pictures and were immediately bombarded with hundreds of congratulations.

_TheLizzie Bennet: She's finally here! On November 5th, 2013, 7:53pm, I gave birth to Isabella Anne Darcy! :)_

_williamdarcy: Allow me to introduce my daughter, Isabella Anne Darcy. TheLizzieBennet did an incredible job._

When the baby was sleeping, they all passed her around and took pictures with her and then put her in the little hospital basinet so she could be rolled away to the hospital's nursery to be tested and monitored.

"I'm starving!", complained Lizzie after her baby was gone. Her high was fading now that the source of joy was absent.

"What do you want to eat?"

"I don't want hospital food. I want a big, juicy burger. With fries. And an ice cream float.", she demanded, her mouth salivating at the thought.

"You're eating meat again?", Darcy asked. Her sudden aversion to meat was what caused her bout of iron deficiency a few months prior.

"Yup. Please, Will. Can you do that for me? I haven't eaten all day."

"Of course. You definitely deserve it. I will bring you your food."

Darcy excused himself and took the opportunity to call up his lawyer and requested a new draft of his will that named Lizzie and Isabella as beneficiaries. He returned to the room with Lizzie's food.

"Thank you, Will. You are the best!", she said, practically snatching the bag from his hand.

She ate hungrily and then dozed off.

Everyone decided that it was time to go. They could continue rejoicing in the new addition to their family tomorrow. Right now, Lizzie needed to recuperate.

When a nurse came by to check up on Lizzie, Darcy inquired about her stay at the hospital. "When can we return home?"

"We require her and the baby to stay overnight so we can make sure they're doing okay. If everything is fine, they can both leave tomorrow afternoon."

"Perfect. Thank you."

He couldn't wait to go home.

* * *

**Baby Isabella is finally here! Next chapter they adjust to a baby at home and there will be some fast forwarding. I'll breeze through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's to bring these characters into 2014. Then there will be more fast forwarding and stuff so that Lizzie can go back to work and she and Darcy can get engaged/married. And I'll end the story with an epilogue a few years into the future.**

**Like always, nothing is set in stone but this is sort of what I'm thinking of.**

**Hopefully you all enjoyed this. Thanks for reading!**


	37. Diaper Duty

**_I'm still keeping up with most of the LBD cast. Ya know, to see if they're working on anything new or to see how they're doing or whatever. So around the end of January, Daniel Gordh (Darcy) posted a picture of him and a baby on Instagram. I remember seeing it and thinking of my fic. Later that day, I checked Instagram again, and I saw that somebody had photoshopped Ashley Clements (Lizzie) into the picture! And I wanted to cry! LOL. I was thinking to myself, "This is my Lizzie and my Darcy and my Isabella (well the baby looked to be a boy but who cares?! A girl can dream lol). If you want to see the picture, go to instagram dot c o m/decentenough. It's an LBD/EA fanpage and if you scroll down the pic should be there. If you have the Instagram app, just search for the username 'decentenough'. Sorry for this randomness but I had to share, just in case you guys were interested!_ **

**Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

Lizzie woke up the next morning feeling extremely well-rested. She hadn't slept so soundly in such a long time. And then she remembered where she was and immediately wanted her baby.

She sat up and then smiled at the sight before her. Darcy was snoring lightly on a comfy looking couch next to Lizzie. He had stayed with her the whole night, except for the many times he went downstairs to go observe his daughter in the nursery. She felt kind of guilty about waking him up, but Darcy's adorableness was no match for Lizzie's desire to see her baby.

"Will?", she said softly. When he didn't react, she spoke louder and more insistently. "Will!"

Darcy moved around on the couch and his eyes fluttered open. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and yawned before smiling at Lizzie.

"How do you feel, my love?"

"I feel amazing. It's so weird not having her inside me anymore, ya know? I miss her. I wanna see her."

"They'll bring her up in…", he looked down at his watch, "...a few minutes actually. I was in the nursery a couple of hours ago and they said they were going bring her up for feeding."

"Good. I have more than enough milk. I'm even leaking! How embarrassing.", she commented as she looked down at her boobs. "As soon as we get out of here, we need to stop somewhere so I can buy nursing pads and other toiletries."

"Of course. If you and Isabella are in good condition, the nurse you can be discharged this afternoon."

"Really? Great! We can take our baby home!", Lizzie said excitedly.

"Yes, finally. I have been anticipating that moment since she was born."

"Can you help me get up, babe? I want to pee before the baby comes.", Lizzie requested as she moved to get off the bed.

Darcy jumped off the couch and helped Lizzie get down.

He helped her walk as she pushed the machines towards the bathroom door.

"I think I can take it from here, Will.", Lizzie said when they were in the bathroom. They had become pretty open when it came to using the bathroom, but she had _just_ pushed out a kid and things were messy down there, so she wanted to avoid scaring him with the gory mess that was her post-partum vagina. Last night, a nurse came and taught her how to clean herself up properly after giving birth and she didn't want Darcy present for that.

"Oh. Of course. I will, uh, be outside if you need me.", he replied before turning to leave.

"Wait! Come here.", she said suddenly.

He stopped and turned around to find Lizzie with her arms opened wide.

He went in for a big bear hug where Lizzie squeezed him as hard as her engorged breasts would allow. The belly was still in the way but he didn't feel bad squeezing her because Izzy was out already.

"Good morning. It's your first morning as a dad!", she said into his chest.

"And it's your first morning as a mother. A very good morning, indeed.", he said before placing a kiss on the top of her head. "Do your thing. I will be outside. Maybe Isabella will be here by the time you are done."

Lizzie's heart swelled with joy at the thought of having her little girl in her arms again.

When Lizzie had finished cleaning up and brushing her teeth, she exited the bathroom and found Darcy pacing around the room with Isabella in his arms. He was whispering something to her and Lizzie found the sight so endearing that she teared up. She just _knew_ he was going to be a wonderful father. When he noticed Lizzie, he set the baby down in the bassinet so that he could help Lizzie to the bed. As soon as she was in bed, he handed her the baby and tears started to escape Lizzie's eyes. _"What's up with the water works every two seconds?"_ , she thought to herself. She would cry for any little thing. _"Damn you, hormones!"_

"Hi, Izzy! Are you hungry, sweetie?", Lizzie asked her daughter. She used to be scared that she wouldn't know what to do or that she wouldn't feel attached to her baby but all those fears were gone. The moment she heard Isabella cry, her whole perspective on life changed. It was as if someone flipped a switch and she was bestowed with maternal instincts. She knew that she loved her family and friends. She knew that she loved Darcy and that she was _in_ love with him, which was different from any other love she ever felt. She had an idea of what she was going to feel after giving birth but she certainly didn't expect to feel such a forceful, unconditional love. She couldn't compare it to anything else.

Izzy started acting up in Lizzie's arms, as if she could sense that her source of food was nearby.

"Shhh, it's okay. Mommy's gonna feed you."

After a few minutes of fumbling around, Isabella finally latched onto Lizzie and began eating.

Lizzie took this time to observe her baby. Isabella was no longer pink. She was white. Pale, even. _"Like me."_ , thought Lizzie. _"And those cheeks! I could just eat her up!"_

She had a lot of dark brown hair on her head and even some dark eyebrows, which was cool because some babies don't really have noticeable eyebrows when they're born. _"Those are definitely Darcy brows. Both Gigi and Will have them."_

"You can't deny that this is your kid, Will.", Lizzie stated.

"Why do you say that?", Darcy asked from the couch.

"Have you seen her brows? If that doesn't scream _Darcy_ , I don't know what does. And I can't put my finger on what else is yours, but when I look at her little face, I see you."

"Our mother had defined eyebrows. Gigi looks just like her... Speaking of mothers, she has _your_ eyes, you know. A captivating blueish-green color. I was staring at them as I held her and I was surprised at how similar they are to yours. She is beautiful, just like you."

Lizzie couldn't help but grin. "So you're happy with this little human we made, babe?"

"Over the moon.", he replied with a smile.

Lizzie grabbed Isabella's little hand between her fingers and just held it. _"She's so tiny..."_

Darcy watched his two little ladies and again he felt that need to protect them. He remembered he wanted to talk to Lizzie about his will and decided to bring it up now, since there weren't any family members here to interrupt them.

"So, Lizzie, I wanted to talk to you about something yesterday but we were interrupted..."

"I honestly don't remember, honey."

"That's understandable. It was nothing major. Just that I requested a new draft of my will to be drawn up... naming you and Isabella as beneficiaries."

Lizzie's brows shot up. "Wow. Really?"

"Yes. It's just that since we are not married, you wouldn't automatically inherit everything and I wanted to make sure that in case anything happens to-"

"Nothing is going to happen to you, William. Okay? _Nothing_. And if something did happen- which it won't- then all the money in the world wouldn't be able to console us."

Darcy smiled a brief smile at her response. He'd been with her for the better part of a year and he still felt pangs of emotion whenever she said stuff like that. He could feel the truth in her words when she spoke of her feelings for him.

"Even so, my love, I would want you two to be properly taken care of. It would give me peace of mind to know that at least financially, you would be okay. You two are my family now and I want to make sure you all have everything you need."

Lizzie really couldn't get upset over him wanting to leave her his stuff if something were to happen. Especially now that she Isabella to think of.

"If it gives you peace of mind, fine, Will. But don't go doing anything risky now, got it?"

"I wouldn't dare.", he answered. _"I would never put my life danger. Especially now that I've got so much to live for."_

* * *

That evening, Lizzie was allowed to leave the hospital and had scheduled her postnatal check-up date six weeks from now and the check-up dates for Isabella.

Lizzie and Izzy were seated in a wheel chair and rolled down to the front of the hospital where the valet fetched Darcy's car. Darcy placed Isabella in the brand-new car seat that was gifted by Aunt Catherine, and Lizzie sat next to her in the back.

The drive home was a silent one. Lizzie and Darcy were each in their thoughts. Lizzie thought about the baby and the nursery and how Isabella was going to fit in at home, while Darcy thought about how he was bringing home the newest Darcy since Georgiana.

They arrived and were ambushed at the front door. The house manager, Mrs. Reynolds, and the rest of the house staff that worked that day were waiting outside.

He helped Lizzie and Izzy out of the car and presented his daughter to everyone.

"Thank you, everyone. I would like you all to meet Isabella Darcy.", he said gesturing towards the little bundle in Lizzie's arms. "You probably won't get a good look at her now, but in the coming weeks and months I am sure you will have a chance."

They parted to allow Lizzie and Darcy through to the front door and when they opened it, their families were much more aggressive than the employees outside. They fought over who would hold the baby first. Lydia called dibs and gently stole Izzy away.

"Let me hold her first, y'all! I cooked dinner, so that is the least y'all could do!", demanded Mrs. B.

Lydia sighed and gave her new niece over to her crazy grandmother. "Only a few more days of this, Lizzie. Then Mom will be out of your hair.", Lydia muttered under her breath. Lizzie just smiled in acknowledgement. It was Wednesday night and Aunt Catherine, Gigi, the Bennets, Bing, and Charlotte were all leaving over the weekend.

After they ate, Izzy began crying because she had a soiled diaper. Lizzie asked Darcy to accompany her to the nursery. They hadn't yet been up there, with their families hogging the baby and all, so they wanted to be alone together for a little while.

"This is your room, Izzy! Do you like it? You have your Aunt Caroline to thank for it.", Lizzie said after walking into the room.

Lizzie placed her on the changing table and then she got teary-eyed at the fact that her baby was here and that she was healthy and that she was _home_.

"Are you alright, Lizzie?", Darcy inquired when he saw her crying.

"Yes. I'm just so _happy_.", Lizzie said, sniffling. "Here. I'm going to be changing plenty of diapers in the near future, so you do this one."

"Uhh..."

Lizzie chuckled. "Oh come on, Will. She's not gonna bite. Is Mr. _C-E-O_ afraid a dirty diaper?", she teased.

"Step aside, Bennet.", he commanded.

Lizzie laughed and then passed him a clean diaper and the box of baby wipes.

 _"I've read about this. I've studied this. I've got this."_ , he thought before beginning his task. He did everything methodically, as if he were in an instructional YouTube video.

"Excellent job, babe. We should record you and send it to Charlotte. You can be in one of Ricky's _Better Living_ videos titled _How To Change A Diaper_."

Darcy rolled his eyes at her and handed her the wrapped up dirty diaper, which she discarded in the dirty diaper bin.

He picked up his baby girl, kissed her on the cheek, and said, "Your mommy likes to tease me but that is alright. You are going be a daddy's girl and then we will see who has the last laugh."

"Whatever, Darcy. I've got the milk. She'll be mommy's little helper.", she said before sitting on the nursery's loveseat. "Come here, my loves."

Darcy joined Lizzie on the couch and she rested her head against his shoulder. They enjoyed a comfortable, blissful silence until little Bella started crying again.

"And she's going to do that every few hours?", Darcy asked as he handed her over to Lizzie.

"Yup. She has to eat every three hours. It is going to be an exhausting few months."

"We can take turns. I don't want you to have to do this by yourself, Lizzie."

"That's sweet. Thank you for offering. Let's see how things go. Maybe we can work out a system. I was advised to use a breast pump after nursing her so that I can have some extra milk handy. Maybe I can stock up on some milk and then _you_ can feed her. But I don't want you to wake up tired for work. I can't imagine running a company with just a few hours of sleep."

"Like you said, let's see how things go. I don't want _you_ to be tired, either."

"It comes with the territory, Will."

"I suppose. But you'll let me know if you need help, right?"

"Definitely."

When Isabella had a belly full of milk and had fallen asleep, Lizzie placed her in the crib and turned on the baby monitor. She and Darcy watched her breath for a little while before leaving the room and returning to their families downstairs.

When the couple settled in for sleep, or rather a three-hour nap, Lizzie snuggled into Darcy and sighed a big, contented sigh.

"It feels good to be home.", she admitted.

"I agree."

"The last time we slept in this bed she wasn't here yet, Will. We didn't know what she'd look like or what she'd feel like. And now we do. Isn't that crazy?"

"It is... Did I thank you? I don't think I have thanked you enough."

"You did. And you are very welcome.", she said before kissing him quickly on the lips. "You know what? I'm gonna sleep on my stomach today, babe. Why? Because now I can! The things we take for granted..."

Darcy chuckled and said, "I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you, too.", she mumbled.

* * *

Lizzie didn't really sleep. She would be constantly checking the clock to see if it was time to feed Izzy again or she'd sit up because she thought she'd heard something on the baby monitor. She finally just got up and went to the nursery to watch her baby sleep and to make sure she was alive and everything.

 _"This is new.",_ she thought. The worries that she wouldn't be good with the baby were gone, only to be replaced by the constant worrying about the baby's welfare.

The next morning she told her mother about it and Mrs. Bennet replied, "Welcome to motherhood, Lizzie! That naggin' feeling of concern you feel never goes away. It actually gets worse as your child grows. You'll be fine, dear. Now come eat. You can't expect to feed my grandbaby on an empty stomach!"

It was nice having her family around. They were supportive and there was always someone willing to hold Isabella while Lizzie had to go handle her personal hygiene or when she had to have a bite to eat. Everyone got a turn with Izzy. Mr. Bennet held his granddaughter with pride and agreed with Darcy's claim that Izzy had Lizzie's eyes. Mrs. Bennet was ecstatic and was surprisingly gentle and quiet when the baby was in her arms. All of the aunts had their turn with their new niece and they all fell in love. Aunt Catherine would talk to Isabella about her bright future, Charlotte would squeeze the chubby little cheeks, Gigi would constantly upload of pictures of Isabella, Lydia whispered "Whaaaat!" to her, and Jane rocked her softly and smiled at her.

Bing noticed Jane's natural ability with the baby and he himself possessed some kind of ease with little Izzy. Mrs. Bennet noticed how good Jane and Bing were with the baby and dropped very non-subtle hints that they should get busy and give her another grandbaby .

When the weekend came and everyone had to go, it was sad but sort of a relief. Lizzie was glad to have so many people that cared about her and Isabella but she also wanted some alone time. She wanted to adjust to her new three-person household.

"Don't miss me too much, Lizzie! We'll be back for Thanksgiving! Your home is perfect for the holidays."

"Alright, Mom. See you for Thanksgiving."

She shared similar goodbyes with everyone except Charlotte, who was going to go home for Thanksgiving, and Bing and Jane, who were going to spend the day with the Lee family.

When everyone had driven off to the airport, Darcy, Lizzie, and Izzy were left to themselves.

"What do we do now?", Darcy asked after going back into the house.

Lizzie smelled a _smelly that smelled… smelly_ coming from the direction of the baby's diaper and she said, "I know what _you're_ doing."

She smiled as she handed Isabella to Darcy and said, "You're on diaper duty."

Darcy narrowed his eyes at Lizzie and she walked away snickering.

* * *

**Can you guys imagine Darcy changing a diaper? I totally can. And I can imagine Lizzie laughing at how meticulous he would be about it lol. I'm gonna hit Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's next. The next chapter is written already and for the one after, I wanted Lizzie to do a little Q &A video since she hasn't updated her viewers since before Isabella was born. Maybe you guys have some questions she could answer? If not, it's totally cool. I'll come up with something or I might just skip it altogether. We'll see.  
**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Also, sorry for the Spongebob reference at the end. It popped into my head and I just had to include it. :P**


	38. A Year of Firsts

**It has been a while... sorry about that, guys! I wasn't happy with what I had written so I scrapped it. And then I sort of dreaded writing because I didn't know how to get ideas from my brain to the keyboard. That, combined with life, is why I am so late. But I hope you like this one.  
**

**Anyway, last chapter we had Lizzie and Darcy bring their daughter home. This chapter hits the end-of-the-year holidays and next chapter (whenever that gets posted) will be 2014.**

* * *

The next Monday, Darcy went back to Pemberley Digital with an extra pep in his step and a mirthful spirit that couldn't be broken. Everyone knew why he was so happy and many employees congratulated him when they saw him in the hall. Lizzie's employees were also happy for her new bundle of joy and they put together a little gift basket that Aaron personally delivered. According to him, all was going well with the episodes of Lizzie's show and he suggested they go on break after Christmas. Then, they could decide how to proceed.

They were seated in the living room, with Isabella laid out on the couch on a blanket. She was looking around with her big, blue-green eyes.

"Little Bowtie here will be, what, two months old in January? Maybe she'll be big enough to tag along around the office or when we go out to gather stories.", Aaron suggested as he gently pinched Izzy's cheek.

"Yeah, maybe. Let's see. I'd have to talk to Will about it, though. But that's a long ways from now. She's not even a full week old yet."

"Of course... Well, I'll leave you to your daughter. She's beautiful, Elizabeth."

"Thanks, Aaron. And thanks for dropping by with the gift basket! Tell the guys at the office I loved it."

That week, Lizzie received visits from their neighbors, the Harrisons, and she received some congratulatory mail. Even though she hadn't met them yet, Bing's parents sent Lizzie and Darcy a lovely card expressing their joy for them. They didn't know Lizzie personally but they knew she was Jane's sister and Darcy's girlfriend because Bing told them. Mr. and Mrs. Lee already knew Darcy from their previous business dealings with Pemberley and because he and Bing went to school together years ago, so they were genuinely happy for him. Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Collins sent a nice card as well.

Lizzie and Darcy also had a big box delivered to them at Pemberley Digital. It was from Emma Woodhouse. The box held three cute outfits along with little shoes and a card that said:

_Congratulations, Lizzie Bennet! And Mr. Darcy, of course!_

_I just found out that you gave birth to a baby girl. Mr. Knightley called the Pemberley offices to discuss some important boring stuff with Mr. Darcy and they gave us the fabulous news as to why the CEO was absent. If I had found out sooner, you would've received this gift days ago! Excuse the tardiness. Also, I had to mail it to the company building because I don't have your home address and I didn't want to ask you because that would've ruined the surprise._

_Anyway, enjoy! Send me a picture of the little princess when she wears these Emma Approved outfits. You have my number!_

_Plenty of hugs,_

_Emma Woodhouse (and Alex Knightley)_

Lizzie thought the clothes were so cute and really appreciated Emma's thoughtfulness. She sent her a text message thanking her for the gift and then proceeded to follow her on Twitter so she could see what the busy matchmaker was up to.

* * *

The weeks passed quickly and November 28th, Thanksgiving Day, arrived. Little Isabella was three weeks old and Lizzie and Darcy still weren't accustomed to the fact that that little person was theirs to raise and to care for. It was a lot of work to take care of such a tiny human, but Lizzie handled it well. The fact that she didn't have to cook and clean was a major relief but even so, it was exhausting. Her mother was pleased to see how well Lizzie was doing with her role as a new mother.

The Bennets joined Lizzie and Darcy the day before Thanksgiving and Gigi brought along her now-official boyfriend, Sidney Parker, the day of. Darcy was very eager to meet the young man that had been the object of his little sister's affections for the past few months. His first instinct was to grill him and find out everything there was to know about him, but Lizzie warned him to take it easy before he left to pick them up at the airport. Gigi would be very bothered with him if he treated Sidney with anything other than kindness.

Lizzie was feeding Isabella in the nursery when Darcy entered to announce that he was leaving to go pick them up from the airport.

"Be nice, Will. You wouldn't want Gigi to leave here angry with you."

"But I don't know anything about this man! How can I just allow him to date my sister?"

" _You_ don't _let_ him do anything. Gigi does. It's _her_ decision. If she likes him, then he must be a good guy, Will."

"But the last guy she liked wasn't.", he said bitterly, referring to George Wickham.

Lizzie sighed sadly. "I know. But give this one a chance. Gigi seems really happy."

Darcy nodded stubbornly and let out a deep breath.

"Well, I am off, my love. Wish me luck.", Darcy said as he strolled over to Lizzie and kissed little Izzy on the head and then Lizzie on the lips.

"Good luck. No grilling. Keep the conversation casual, babe."

Darcy was half-way to the airport when he couldn't help himself and called in a favor for a background check on Sidney Parker.

On the way back from the airport, Darcy tried to make his questioning sound less like an interrogation and more like genuine interest. He found out Sidney was originally from the East Coast but recently moved to Sanditon to become assistant to the Mayor, who happened to be his cousin. He had a degree in accounting and had just finished an internship at a bank back home. He had plans to go to grad school but he had decided to start working. He didn't want to live off his family forever.

_"Good, good. He has aspirations and ambition. He isn't a leech."_

Darcy was impressed with him so far but he wouldn't be satisfied until he could verify everything he was told. He called back and found that aside from a speeding ticket a few years back, Sidney's record was clean and everything he told Darcy had checked out.

Izzy, Lizzie, Darcy, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Lydia, Gigi, and Sidney all shared a cheerful Thanksgiving dinner. It was the first time in many, many years that Darcy and Gigi had experienced an actual Thanksgiving dinner at home. After dinner, everybody sort of just relaxed in the living room and they all got to know Sidney a little better.

After everyone retired, Lizzie and Darcy headed to the nursery. Lizzie had been spending most of her nights in there since Isabella came home, so they had established a routine of heading up there when they were ready to settle down for the night. Darcy would take his laptop and work on the couch while Lizzie cared for the baby or vice-versa and then they would leave when Izzy was knocked out.

Lizzie was seated in her chair and asked, "So what do you think about Sidney? I think he's great."

When Darcy had finished changing Isabella's diaper, he handed her to Lizzie for feeding and replied, "I like him. Gigi smiles so much in his presence. I also did a background check on him and everything he said was the truth. He's honest. Unlike some other people…"

"Please tell me you're kidding, Will. You _did not_ run a background check on Sidney!", she said incredulously.

"I did. No sense in denying it. I had to make sure. I do not want Georgiana to get hurt again."

"Wow, Will. You'd better not tell her about it. She'd definitely kick your ass for not trusting her judgment."

"Yes, she probably would. But _you_ are the only one that knows. _It can be our little secret_."

Lizzie looked at him with one eyebrow raised as if to say, " _Really?_ ", but she just laughed and nodded her head. "Okay. But if this gets out, I will deny ever having any knowledge of this."

"Do not act as if you are above background checks, Lizzie. When our daughter starts dating, I'd like to see how you react to her first suitor."

Lizzie opened her mouth to protest but then closed it. She looked at her little angel and she felt this wave of anxiousness flow over her. _"Nooo! No boys. Not for a very,_ very _long time."_

Darcy smiled triumphantly at Lizzie's silence and declared, "I rest my case."

Lizzie poked her tongue out at him and said, "Go to bed, Mr. FBI. I'll go as soon as I'm done with your daughter."

When Lizzie joined Darcy in their bedroom, she found him looking at some reports and said, "Hey, I thought you'd be asleep by now. Why are you working? It's _Thanksgiving_ , William! Take a break."

He began to put his stuff aside and replied, "I am only working because I needed something to do while I waited up for you. It _is_ Thanksgiving, after all. I wanted us to talk about what we are thankful for."

Lizzie slipped into bed and faced Darcy. "Alright, babe. So what are _you_ thankful for?"

Darcy pulled Lizzie closer to him and answered, "You. Our precious daughter. Our loving family and friends. But most of all, _you_. You have changed my life, Lizzie Bennet. Thank you."

Lizzie smiled at him and said, "I am grateful for you, too. You seem to forget that _you_ have also changed _my_ life, Will. I'm happy. I feel safe. I feel supported. Not to mention, you helped me make a pretty awesome baby."

"That was fun.", he added before placing a kiss on her neck.

Lizzie giggled. "It was. And once I'm ready to have _fun_ again, you'll be the first to know.", she said, letting him know that his kisses were going to get him nowhere tonight. Her body was still healing from the birth and still adjusting to being baby-less inside. She was in mommy-mode and love-making was the furthest thing from her mind.

"Of course.", he said after giving her a kiss on the cheek. He had no intentions of going any further than kissing. He was aware of Lizzie's state and knew not to push the boundaries but it didn't hurt to try a little.

The rest of the Thanksgiving weekend was spent out of the house, surprisingly. Lizzie hadn't gone out since bringing Isabella home and she took advantage of her parent's visit to go out with Darcy, Gigi, Sidney, and Lydia.

* * *

The week before Christmas was Lizzie's six-week post-partum check-up. Isabella got her immunizations, which Lizzie couldn't be present for. Just hearing her baby cry from outside the room broke her heart. Darcy was the one who held baby Bella while they injected her. For Lizzie's check-up, everything went fine as well. Lizzie was in the exam room alone while Darcy waited outside with the baby.

"Do you have any questions?", asked the doctor after checking Lizzie out.

"You said we can start having intercourse again, right? So I wanted to know about birth control while breastfeeding. I don't think I'm ready to have sex again just yet but I want to be protected, just in case. This baby was... unexpected... and I don't want another surprise."

She talked it over with the doctor and decided on a non-hormonal IUD.

"We just insert this into your uterus and that's it. You can remain worry-free for up to ten years. If you decide you want to have more children before the ten years are up, you can come back and have it removed."

"That sounds perfect... Can we do that now?"

She left the doctor's office feeling relieved. Her body was recovering splendidly after the birth and now she didn't have to fear becoming pregnant again until she wanted to.

* * *

Christmas brought Lizzie, Darcy, and Izzy to the Bennet household. Isabella was seven weeks old and Lizzie was terrified of flying with her and going through the whole airport ordeal, so she and Darcy decided to take their first road trip. They spent almost seven hours driving, but they made it home on Christmas Eve in the evening. Gigi was absent this time around because she decided to go back home with Sidney and meet his family.

The couple and the baby were going to stay at the Bennet house while Jane, Bing, and Mr. and Mrs. Lee stayed at Netherfield. They were all supposed to spend Christmas Day together at Netherfield so the families could get to know each other. Caroline was missing because, like Gigi, she wanted to meet her boyfriend's family as well.

It was the first time Darcy had celebrated Christmas away from his home and, more importantly, away from Gigi. It felt very strange to him but it felt inevitable. Their lives were changing.

Sitting around the Christmas tree on Christmas morning was something Darcy hadn't done in ages, but Lizzie had done it every single year and she wanted him to experience opening presents.

"Merry Christmas, William.", Lizzie said as she pulled a wrapped present out from under the tree.

Darcy was pleasantly surprised. He was used to giving, not receiving. He took the present in his hand and unwrapped it.

While he unwrapped it, Lizzie explained, "What do you get the man that has everything? It was really hard for me to think of a present for you but I finally came up with something I thought you'd like."

Darcy finished unwrapping it and it was a digital picture frame. He switched it on and before him flashed pictures of him with his baby girl, of him and Lizzie, him and his sister… all his loved ones were there. He hadn't realized he'd taken so many pictures that year. He loved it. It reminded him of how wonderful his life had become since Lizzie became a part of it.

"Thank you, my love. It is perfect. I love it.", he stated earnestly.

Lizzie grinned. "You're welcome. Oh, I also bought you a cool scarf. Here. You're such a hipster, babe."

Darcy chuckled and said, "I also got you something. Do not fret; it isn't fancy jewelry or anything like that."

He pulled out two expertly wrapped presents and handed them to her.

"Hmm, let's see what we have here… Pajamas?! Yoga pants?! Oh babe, you are the best!", Lizzie exclaimed and gave him a big hug. To anybody else, it'd seem like a less than thoughtful present, but Darcy knew Lizzie had been living in pajama pants and other stretchy clothing since before Isabella joined them on the outside, so he took a trip to Victoria's Secret Pink store and a nice teenage sales associate helped him pick out everything.

He laughed at her enthusiasm and was glad she liked it. She opened her other present and it was her favorite perfume. The big bottle of it. He'd noticed her smaller version was running low and decided to get her a bigger one.

"Thank you! These are awesome presents. I'm wearing these suede PJ's to bed tonight. They're so soft!"

The gift exchanging continued with everyone else. Mr. Bennet gifted Lizzie a book and Darcy a bottle of an old wine he'd been saving for years but knew he'd never open. Mrs. Bennet gifted Lizzie a baby sling and breast-feeding slip so she could move more freely with Isabella and so that she wouldn't have to leave their company to feed her. It was a very joyous Christmas morning and the day only grew more cheerful when they arrived at Netherfield. There, Lizzie finally met Bing's parents and Bing and Jane announced that they were going to get married the following summer.

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy rung in the New Year with their Christmas companions, sans Lydia, who went out to a New Year's Eve party. Everyone dressed up nicely to greet 2014 in style. In the past two months, Lizzie had lost a good portion of the weight she had gained and although she wasn't back to her pre-pregnancy body yet, with the aid of some good shaping undergarments she felt comfortable wearing a shiny fitted dress and dressy shoes. She dressed Isabella up in a sequined outfit complete with a shiny little headband and Darcy donned a shimmery bowtie. Mrs. Bennet had also purchased decorative New Year's hats and party favors for them all to wear. Mr. Bennet took a picture of the new little family and Lizzie posted it to Twitter. Everyone commented on how adorable Isabella was and how elegant Lizzie and Darcy looked.

They were all at Netherfield waiting for the clock to strike twelve, and the couple was granted a few minutes of privacy when they went to change Isabella's diaper.

"It's almost the new year, Will! Isn't it crazy how quickly this year passed by?", Lizzie said as she changed Izzy's diaper.

"Yes. This year has come and gone in the blink of an eye. I still haven't come to terms with how much our lives have changed in a year. Why, this time last year, I was in a hotel room in another city doing business. And now look at me. Spending New Year's Eve with my gorgeous girlfriend and my baby… I just find it so bizarre… It was a year of firsts for me."

"That makes two of us. Last year around this time, I was getting ready to go shadow Pemberley Digital. I had no clue I'd run into you and not even in my wildest dreams, or nightmares as I would've said back then, could I ever have fathomed that we'd end up where we are today."

Darcy nodded in agreement as he stared at Lizzie holding their two month old baby girl. She was so cute and chubby and he was still in awe that she was their creation.

"Let us go downstairs before the ball drops. I need to secure a partner for the twelve o'clock kiss."

"Good luck with that. I think everyone is taken.", Lizzie joked. It was true though. Mr. and Mrs. Lee, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, the future Mr. and Mrs. Lee, and Lizzie and Darcy were the only ones in the house.

"Five, four, three, two, one… Happy New Year!", they all cheered in the living room.

Lizzie was holding Isabella, so the first thing Darcy did was kiss her little forehead, and then he kissed Lizzie eagerly on the lips. Everyone shared New Year's kisses with their respective partners.

Darcy broke their kiss and whispered, "Happy New Year's, baby. May 2014 bring you happiness, health, and success."

"Ditto.", Lizzie replied with a smile and one more quick kiss before her mother came to wish her a happy new year.

* * *

**Welcome to 2014, beloved characters. Sorry if this chapter felt a bit rushed/fillery. I was just trying to usher them into the new year without boring everyone to death. Everything is pretty much gonna be smooth sailing for everyone from now on. Major events that need to happen before this story ends are Lizzie going back to work and them getting married. Knowing that I can never just write what I plan, there will be some stuff in between. And fast-forwarding needs to happen. _Lots of it._  
**

**Thanks for reading!**


	39. Is everything alright?

**I haven't forgotten about this fic, guys. I swear. Lol. It's just not as easy to sit down and write as it was before. Anyways, enjoy!  
**

* * *

 

The New Year had been good to Lizzie and Darcy so far. Little Isabella had just turned three months old and she was growing like a weed. Her cheeks grew chubbier and her little arms and legs were cushioned with adorable baby fat. Her wavy baby hair seemed to be thinning and converting to a straighter version.

"You love eating, don't you baby girl?!", Lizzie babbled to Isabella after breastfeeding her at noon. The baby cooed as if replying to her mother, making Lizzie giggle. She couldn't get enough of her daughter.

"Your grandmother is going to loveee having you around for the holidays!", Lizzie said with a smile and then her smile dropped a little. _"Note to self: Make sure Mom doesn't force-feed Izzy."_

As the day went on, Lizzie settled into her routine. Since giving birth, Lizzie rarely went out and when she did, it was to their neighbors, the Harrisons, or to one of the other moms she met at the child-birthing classes. Everything in her life was baby, baby, baby- which was fine because she _loved_ her daughter- but she was getting a little stir-crazy.

She lived in an enormous house where she didn't have to cook or clean (she would've insisted but the employees take pride in their work and she didn't want to take that away from them) and there was literally nothing for her to do besides scroll down her Twitter and Facebook feeds, read books, work-out (which she rarely ever felt inclined to do), and wait by the baby monitor for her daughter to wake up.

Restless didn't even begin to describe what she felt. That, mixed with guilt about not wanting to be a stay-at-home mom and the cocktail of hormones her body couldn't seem to process efficiently after the baby, made her feel kind of hopeless. She didn't really feel this way in the first couple of months because motherhood was new and there was a lot of family around due to holidays, but now she felt the delayed sadness.

It was the first Thursday in February, and Thursdays usually meant Darcy came home a little later because people wanted to have an easier work-load for Friday. But this day, he felt like leaving early so that he could pick up some flowers for Lizzie. He noticed the sparkle in her eye didn't shine as bright anymore and he wanted to make sure everything was fine.

When Darcy arrived at his house, he went to his office to drop off his briefcase and headed upstairs. He figured Lizzie would be in the nursery because he didn't hear the TV on in the living room, but he found a dim room with his baby girl sleeping soundly. Her belly was full and she looked beyond content. He smiled at the sight of his little angel and kissed her softly on the forehead, making sure not to stir too much. The baby monitor was on and he was sure Lizzie was listening. He wanted to surprise her.

He walked across the hall to their bedroom and found it empty, but the bathroom door was slightly ajar and he heard water running. He walked to the bathroom with the flowers in hand. He thought it'd be a wonderful surprise but it was him who was in for a surprise.

* * *

Lizzie was sat naked on the floor of their giant shower with her head on her knees and her arms holding her legs tight. Darcy couldn't see clearly whether or not she was okay because of the fogged up glass, so he dropped the flowers and quickly slid open the door.

"Lizzie?!", he asked with equal parts worry and fear.

She sniffled and looked up. "Hey, babe. You're home early!"

"Yes… Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I'm not hurt, Will. Don't worry.", she said putting on a smile.

"Okay. You are not hurt. But I don't think you are doing alright, my love. It really doesn't help that you are sitting in the shower curled up…", he noted, raising an eyebrow.

She chuckled. "It does, actually. It feels like rain. I find it soothing.", she explained, defending her position.

"Noted. So are you going to tell me what's wrong? I have to admit, it is rather alarming to come home and find you like this, Lizzie.

He had a calm face but she could see the concern in his eyes.

She sighed. "Yeah, I guess. Let me just get out of here-"

"No. Stay."

Darcy removed his shoes and socks, and then his watch, which he stuffed inside one of the shoes. He set them down next to the shower and stepped in with all his clothes.

"Will! You're going to ruin them!", she exclaimed but a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth because it was a hilarious scene.

"What I am wearing is of little importance to me. You are my main concern. Talk to me, Elizabeth. What is going on with you?", he said after sitting down next to Lizzie in the shower, his long legs spread out in front of him.

Lizzie felt the urge to cry rise quickly and she couldn't stop herself. Darcy pulled her to him and sat her on his lap. She cried into his chest and he rubbed her back softly and kissed the top of her head lovingly as she sobbed.

When she was done crying her eyes out, she felt much better. It was quite a while before she lifted her head up to look into Darcy's eyes.

"Gosh, Will. You have the most beautiful eyes. So full of kindness. It still hurts me to think about the horrible things I said about you for so many months…", she said while pushing his wet hair off of his forehead.

"Don't bring the past up, Lizzie. That has nothing to do with you being in here. Tell me what has you feeling so down.", he said, locking his free hand with hers.

She exhaled and then said, "I wanna go back to work."

Darcy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Of course, Lizzie. Why haven't you said anything? _Is that it?"_

"It's not _just_ that.", she said exasperatedly.

"Elaborate, Elizabeth. I wish I could read your mind, but I can't. Fill me in on what's happening in there.", he said before placing a kiss on her forehead.

She explained the mixture of feelings she'd been experiencing and the fears of going back to work and the monotony of her routine. The loss of interest in the things she used to find enjoyable. And especially the guilt of not wanting to stay at home with Izzy all the time. She thought Darcy would think she didn't love her.

That was the worst feeling of all. Her very own mother was a stay-at-home mom and she did a pretty good job raising her and her sisters and _she_ couldn't even handle staying for three months with her new baby.

"Maybe I'm not cut out for this whole mom thing, ya know? I love her to death but I don't want to stay here following in my mother's footsteps! I want to have a career and accomplish something nobody else has ever done!", she ranted.

He remained silent until she was done speaking and explaining everything she felt.

"Do you get it?", she asked self-consciously.

Darcy hugged her really tightly and whispered, "I am sorry."

"For what? You haven't done anything."

"Exactly. Lizzie, I think you might be experiencing some mild symptoms of postpartum depression. And I've been too busy to notice. I agree that maybe you staying here with Isabella might not be the best way to do this, but that alone wouldn't make you feel like this. You are a woman of words and you are extremely opinionated so if that was your main point of consternation, you would've done something about it. Something else is definitely going on."

"No way. I'm not having suicidal thoughts and I wouldn't ever _dream_ of hurting Isabella, Will!", she stated defensively.

"Those aren't the only signs. I remember we read all about this while you were still pregnant. I can't believe I hadn't connected the dots until now… You are going to the doctor tomorrow, Miss Bennet."

"But-"

"Look at me, Lizzie. Please allow me to leave this shower with some ounce of dignity. Just agree.", he said with chuckle.

Lizzie sighed. "Fine."

"You know… I feel like I haven't been spending enough time with her. She's always either sleeping or eating and it seems like the only time I get to see her is when I am changing her diaper."

"And I'm spending too much time with her.", Lizzie said with a chuckle and then she had an idea.

While under the soft stream of the shower, they discussed the idea of each of them taking her to work and worked out a plan. They'd buy baby stuff for their offices so that Izzy would be comfortable.

Lizzie's mood had shifted dramatically from the time Darcy had opened the shower. She was looking forward to Monday.

She looked at her hands and said, "I have prune hands! I've been in here much too long, babe."

They got up off the floor clumsily and Darcy said, "Well, since I am already in here already, I will shower."

Lizzie laughed. It really was a funny sight. Prim and proper William Darcy looking as wet and disheveled as was possible.

"That makes sense.", she agreed and then helped him strip off the soaking wet clothes.

She opened the shower door to leave and spotted the bouquet Darcy had gotten her. "Oh! Those flowers are beautiful, Will!"

Darcy smiled and was glad he was able to surprise her in the end.

The fact that Lizzie was naked didn't affect Darcy while they were having the more serious conversation but he couldn't help but notice that there was nothing between them when she turned around and kissed him. She had to tip-toe and lean into him to reach his mouth and in doing so her chest touched his for just a moment.

"Thank you, Will.", she said with a smile and stepped out of the shower.

Darcy sighed longingly and shook his head before turning the shower's temperature to cold.

* * *

When it was time for bed, Darcy held Lizzie extra close to him. He felt the need to protect her and he had been kicking himself in the butt for the past few hours for not noticing Lizzie's changes.

At Lizzie's doctor's appointment the next morning, it was determined that she did indeed have some form of imbalance. It didn't exactly fit under the criteria of postpartum depression, but it was alarming nonetheless. Lizzie made it very clear to Darcy that he was to tell no one about this. She didn't want her family worrying.

"A change of scenery and some of these medications is what I prescribe. Also, share your feelings. Be more open." , said the doctor.

On the way home, they discussed her going back to work. She decided that she'd start on Monday and that over the weekend they would baby-fy both of their offices. That way, they could both take Izzy to work with them whenever they wanted.

"So what would you like to do today? We could go shopping for the baby things now.", Darcy suggested.

"No, Will! Go to work! You've still got half a work-day left."

"I am not going to leave you alone."

"Go! I'm not gonna stay home. Izzy and I are going to go shopping."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Just drop me off at home so I can get my car."

Lizzie drove to the mall to shop for new work clothes. She was both excited and nervous about going back to work but definitely more excited. She shopped happily with her baby and was going to go home but entered a lingerie store at the last minute.

* * *

Darcy got ready for bed that night like he normally did except that that night, he was working late on his laptop because he'd missed half the day but didn't want to stay late and leave Lizzie alone. He wasn't expecting any kind of physical intimacy. He and Lizzie hadn't made love since the night before Izzy was born. So you can imagine his surprise when Lizzie opened the door to the bathroom and came out wearing a lacy little outfit.

She coughed to make her presence known and Darcy's mouth was left uncharacteristically open.

"I'm trying, Will. I blame my low libido on whatever it is that I had. But now I want to try. Do you like this?"

Darcy swallowed hard and nodded yes enthusiastically.

Lizzie smiled and felt a big confidence boost. She recognized that hungry look for what it was: desire for her.

"Are you gonna put that laptop away or…"

He quickly shut it closed and put it on the side table.

Lizzie took that as a sign to proceed and climbed onto the bed. Darcy sat with his back against the headboard and she straddled him. He automatically put his hands on her hips and couldn't help but stare at her breasts in the barely there get-up.

When he was finally able to drag his eyes away from her chest and up to her face, Lizzie smiled and her eyes twinkled with that playfulness that had been missing. That was what turned him on the most.

"Look at those fine eyes… Lizzie, you look absolutely edible but your eyes are by far the sexiest thing on you tonight."

Lizzie grinned and her face was pink with delight within seconds.

Darcy was glad he was able to elicit such a visible response from her. Lately whenever he complimented her it felt like it went in one ear and out the other.

"Then I guess there's no point in keeping the rest of this stuff on?", she asked while beginning to pull down a strap.

"I can find no reason why.", he said huskily without breaking eye contact.

They kissed softly at first but Darcy quickly deepened their kiss. Three months without sex with Lizzie Bennet and he was ravenous. His hands became reacquainted with the soft, pale skin that he had become so familiar with. He was unashamed of the way he pushed her down so that she was on her back and he was on top of her; unashamed of the way he lewdly freed Lizzie's breasts from their lacy prison; unashamed of the way he indelicately ripped her panties off; and most definitely not regretful of the way it felt when he slid into her.

For Darcy, nothing in the world could ever compare to the feeling of being one with Lizzie. It wasn't _just sex_ with her. It always felt like they were connecting on some deeper level and that night was no exception.

Lizzie couldn't think straight. All her nerve endings were tingling and she felt like every thrust gave her her own mini orgasm. She could barely keep her eyes open but when she did manage, she was rewarded with Darcy's trademark penetrating stare that was unmistakably full of lust and enjoyment. The way he was admiring her just turned her on even more until she finally climaxed beneath him.

Darcy could usually provide Lizzie with multiple orgasms but that night he just didn't have it in him. Her climax brought him over the edge too. He collapsed on top of her but was quickly reminded that Lizzie's breasts were full of milk for their baby (well not so much anymore) and he begrudgingly removed himself from her and laid beside her. Lizzie hadn't even realized she had been leaking milk during their time together. She had been so focused on the other more pleasure sensations that she hadn't even noticed.

"Uhh, Lizzie?"

"Hmm?"

"Did I do that?", Darcy asked with a confused tone.

"Huh?"

"The milk... Did I do that?"

"Milk?"

Lizzie lazily moved her hands to her breasts and then gasped.

Darcy laughed. He couldn't help it. Number one: he was extremely satiated and two: it was just unexpected.

"William Darcy are you laughing at me?!", she said in a fake-angry voice.

"No.", he said still laughing. "I am laughing at the situation."

The fact that he didn't freak out made her feel less embarrassed. Post-coital Darcy was super laid-back. Lizzie laughed too and then said, "I'm sorry but I cannot even move right now. You did your job a little too well, babe. Clean up will have to wait."

"Don't worry. I will take care of it.", Darcy said. He felt rejuvenated from their love making and he wanted to yell from the rooftops but settled for this task instead.

"My hero!", Lizzie said with a grin, grateful that she didn't have to get up.

He got off the bed, put on his boxers that were thrown half-way across the room, and retrieved a few towels from the linen closet down the hall.

He laid them on the bed and then went to the nursery to snatch up a box of baby wipes.

"I think it's best we leave a box of these in here.", he said as he put the box down on Lizzie's night stand.

"Mmhmm.", agreed Lizzie.

After cleaning themselves up, they arranged the towels on the bed over the messy parts and agreed that they needed to have the sheets changed first thing the next day. They laid there cuddled up for a long time before either of them felt like moving. Lizzie turned towards Darcy and kissed his chest before resting her head on it. He laughed because it tickled and the sound made her melt all over again.

"I'm sorry you had to wait so long, Will. Hell, I'm sorry _I_ had to wait so long.", she said listening to his now steady heartbeat.

"Oh, but it was worth it. You have no idea how frustrating these past few months have been.", he confessed and then he kissed her quickly on the lips.

"Mmmm", she said and kissed him back. She put her hands on his face and looked at him in the eyes as she confessed, "Thank you, babe. For being so supportive and patient with me and for taking good care of me all these months. Seriously. You are _amazing_."

"Of course, Lizzie. I love you. Throughout all our misunderstandings and miscommunications, that fact will always be crystal clear to me."

She smiled sleepily and said, "I know. I love you, too."

* * *

Lizzie's nervousness about returning to work was pointless. She fell right back into step and Izzy didn't interrupt much. She mainly slept like she did at home.

Darcy began taking her to work some days, too. On days that there weren't any big meetings or conference calls, he'd take her with him and she'd sleep next to his desk while he typed away on his computer and reviewed reports.

Lizzie's demeanor changed a lot after her diagnosis. She felt like her old self again. Getting back to shooting the costume theater for her show, taking care of Izzy, continuing her relationship with Darcy, and helping her sister put the finishing touches on her sister's wedding kept her busy. Before she knew it, it was summer time. Jane's wedding was just around the corner.

"Girls, I decided to change my dress. I'm stuck between these two!", Jane said as she called an emergency meeting via Domino.

"Uhhh… Jane? You know those dresses aren't white right?", Lydia asked.

"Yes.", she said blushing.

"No way.", Lydia said, getting ready to freak out.

"I like the one on the right.", Lizzie said, completely disregarding the reason for Jane's sudden dress change. Obviously Jane didn't feel right walking down the aisle with a white dress. She was much too honest to ignore that outdated rule.

"Yeah, the one on the right is totally you… So you and Bing finally _binged_ , huh?! How was it?!"

"Thank you! You're the best! It was so nice to see you and I will be delighted to see you all in a few weeks! Lizzie, give kisses to Izzy for me. Lydia: not a word to Mom, please! Love you!", and like that Jane was gone.

Lydia and Lizzie speculated about Jane and Bing and had a good laugh about their silly theories.

"We have to get her alone before she leaves for her honeymoon!", Lydia suggested.

"Definitely.", Lizzie said smiling. She liked this more intimate relationship she now shared with Lydia and she was definitely looking forward to the Bennet sister reunion at Jane's wedding.

* * *

**There we have it folks. Thanks for still reading!** **Seriously.**

**Cyber hugs!**


	40. Jane Bennet-soon-to-be-LEE

Lizzie, Darcy, and Isabella flew to Lizzie's hometown on the last Thursday in June for Jane's wedding weekend. It was Izzy's first time on a plane (well, outside the belly. Lizzie had flown with Izzy inside her multiple times, even before she knew she was carrying her). She was 7 months old by the time Jane's wedding rolled around and she did well on the plane. She slept through the short flight.

The last time any of the Bennets had seen the baby in-person was for New Year's and she wasn't even two months old then. She was almost a totally different baby. But her eyes were still her mother's and her hair was still dark like her father's.

Mrs. Bennet scooped her granddaughter up when they arrived at her doorstep, which incited the arguing over who got to hold her. Lizzie and Darcy were greeting everyone and Lizzie asked, "Where's Bing?".

"Oh, he and Jane are gonna stay separated until they meet at the altar on Saturday! You know the groom can't see the bride before the weddin'!", answered Mrs. Bennet. That rule usually just applied to the day of, but Mrs. Bennet felt it best to not take any chances.

Jane sighed. "Sadly, Bing and I won't be able to see each other or speak to one another. Not even through Domino. We're just texting each other."

"She's been moping around since he dropped her off here. It's like, you're going to be together for the rest of your lives. Enjoy the break!", Lydia chimed in.

"Do you ladies mind if I steal Thomas for a while? Mr. Lee and Bing invited us over for some 'guy-time'.", Darcy asked, with his cell phone in hand. He had texted Bing that he'd arrived and Bing texted back with the suggestion.

"Not at all! We can make this a girl's day! Call those sweet Lee women over! Let's go to the spa!", suggested Mrs. Bennet excitedly.

The girls looked at each other and shrugged, which their mother knew to mean "Yes." She gave the baby over to Lydia so that she could call the spa she frequented to make arrangements for them.

The spa day was nice but the girls were relieved to have some alone time that night. Mr. Bennet and Darcy were discussing something in his study and Mrs. Bennet was fussing over Isabella in the living room, so the girls were able to talk.

Lydia and Lizzie teased Jane mercilessly over the new color of her dress and Lydia poked and prodded enough that Jane finally divulged the details of her and Bing's first time. There was lots of giggling and pillow-throwing, like they used to do when they were teens.

The next day, more of their family and friends started arriving. Some of Bing's family and A LOT of Mrs. Bennet's family flew in for the big day. Also, Aaron joined Caroline, Charlotte and her boyfriend Patrick (Aaron's brother) came, Gigi and her boyfriend flew in, and Fitz and Brandon were able to make it. Jane and the girls were out all day handling some last-minute details for the wedding and reception, including paying the photographers that were supposed to take pictures the whole day.

The night before the wedding, Jane was very excited and couldn't sleep well. She texted Bing to see if he was up and he was.

_Jane: Bing?_

_Bing: Why are you up? Go to sleep!_

_Jane: Did I wake you?_

_Bing: No, I couldn't sleep either._

_Jane: Do you still want to marry me?_

_Bing: Of course. Do you still want to marry me?_

_Jane: Of course, silly. I'm just excited about tomorrow._

_Jane: And I miss you._

_Bing: I also can't wait for tomorrow! I miss you too, bunny…_

Jane sighed longingly. She looked over at Lydia, whose bed she was sharing, and was relieved to see her sister was sleeping deeply. She got out of bed and paced around for a minute before dialing Bing's number.

*ring ring*

"Hello?", said Bing quietly.

"Hey."

"If your mom found out we were talking, she'd kill us.", Bing said with a chuckle.

"I know.", she giggled.

"What's up, bunny? Is something wrong?"

"No… I just wanted to hear your voice before I tried going to sleep."

"Oh. Okay. Well, if you're going to sleep right after this, go to sleep with these words still in your ear: I love you, Jane Bennet-soon-to-be-Lee. And I am looking forward to the rest of our life together. By this time tomorrow, you'll be in my arms in another country. Far, far away from all of this. It'll be just us."

Jane smiled at the thought. "That sounds  _really_  good right now."

"Are you going to sleep now?"

"Yes. You get some sleep, too."

"I will if you will."

"I love you, Bing."

"I love you, too. Good night."

Jane went to sleep with thoughts of her honeymoon swirling around in her head.

* * *

On the big day, everything went smoothly. Isabella proved useful in keeping Mrs. B off the girls' backs as they got ready. Their mother wanted to wear a ridiculously feathery hat, which the girls fought tooth and nail to get her to change. "You're going to shift all the attention from Jane to yourself if you wear that, Mom. It's her big day!", they argued. She sighed in defeat and opted for a less flamboyant hat.

When Jane arrived at the church that afternoon after taking wedding pictures, everyone was waiting for her eagerly. Bing stood by the altar with Darcy as his best man, and Aaron, Fitz, and a close cousin as his groomsmen. Caroline, Charlotte, and Lydia all walked in before Jane as her bridesmaids. Lizzie was her maid of honor and she gave Jane a tight hug before walking in. "Just look at Bing, Janie. You haven't seen him all weekend. Don't be nervous and just look at him.", Lizzie advised her before joining the rest of the group. When it was finally  _her_  turn, Jane took a deep breath and walked through the doors.

Everyone turned to look at her walking down the aisle. She was like an angel. She opted out of wearing a veil and had her up in one of her pin-up-esque hairstyles, and she looked straight into Bing's eyes as she walked towards him, as if no one else were in the room but him. Bing's eyes were also glued to his future wife and he would proudly admit that some tears escaped him when he saw Jane walking toward him in an off-white, capped-sleeve, mermaid, vintage lace dress. She was the epitome of elegance, beauty, and grace as she floated down the rose-petaled aisle towards the love of her life.

The ceremony was beautiful and then came the most important questions:

"Do you, Bing Lee, take Jane Bennet…", started the priest.

Bing was staring at Jane and he answered, "I do.", with a big smile as he slipped the ring on her finger.

Jane did the same. And they kissed before the priest gave them to go-ahead, which caused lot of laughter from the audience.

The reception was held in a hotel ballroom and it was beautiful. Jane did almost all of the planning herself and everything turned out exactly as she pictured it. She wanted it to be a joyful party, so her colors were soft yellows and oranges. Some linens were yellow, some orange. They had white and yellow and orange flowers on all the tables. Her bridesmaids all had yellow and orange dresses (the girls were all initially very hesitant about the colors but they came around when they saw the dresses Jane had picked out for them). It was very  _summer_ , which she loved.

She and Bing sat in the middle of a long table that they shared with their families. Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Bennet, Lydia, Lizzie, and Darcy and Izzy sat to Jane's right while Mrs. Lee, Mr. Lee, Caroline, and Aaron sat to Bing's left. Lizzie and Darcy had the last two seats on Jane's side, with Isabella's stroller right next to Darcy.

After toasts from everyone that wanted to say a few words, the couple was invited down to the dance floor for their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Lee. The mothers of the couple couldn't help but cry at the sight of their newlywed kids looking so happy.

After the first dance, the floor was open to everyone and many people got up to dance. Mrs. Bennet immediately hopped up from her seat. Mr. Bennet thought that maybe she wanted to dance, but no. Mrs. B quickly walked over to Lizzie and said, "Hand over my grandbaby and get up, Elizabeth! We've got to show y'all off to my sisters!"

"Really, Mom? You have to brag  _now_? Can't we just enjoy the party?"

"Now, now, Elizabeth. The sooner we do this, the sooner you and Darcy can do... whatever it is y'all do. I'll babysit, of course… WAIT! I've got a  _fabulous_  idea! You and Darcy go dance a few songs while I show the baby off! That way, I can say I'm just holding you while you two dance. I can kill three birds with one stone: show off my grandbaby, show off my daughters, and show off my sons-in-law! Go on, now! Stay on the edge so I can point y'all out! Ohh Bettie and Cathy are gonna be so jealous!", she said to herself with mischievous eyes and a smirk as she walked away.

Lizzie rolled her eyes at her mother's ridiculousness. Darcy promptly got up and helped Lizzie out of her seat. They walked to the dance floor hand-in-hand and were joined by Gigi and her boyfriend.

"William! Lizzie! You guys looks great!", she commented as she went in for hugs.

Lizzie and Darcy had been so busy being a part of the wedding party that they hadn't had time to greet Gigi earlier. She hadn't seen her big bro in-person in months and every time she saw him again she couldn't believe how much he'd changed. He looked so much younger and happier than he did months ago. Lizzie looked different too. Every time Gigi saw her, she felt that Lizzie was more confident. That was true. Part of it was that she had lost her baby weight and felt more comfortable in her own skin, but it was more than that. She had a great job, a beautiful baby, and a partner that loved her as much as she loved him, if not more. Why wouldn't she be confident?

"Hello, Gigi.", Darcy said with a smile. He was so proud of how Gigi had become her own person.

"You both look great as well, Gigi. How's life in Sanditon?", Lizzie asked and they all chatted.

After a few songs, Lizzie checked to see where her mother was and found her still chatting with her family. Little Isabella was awake in her grandmother's arms and Lizzie could swear that she had rolled her eyes, however it was probably a trick of the light. That made Lizzie chuckle anyway. She was torn from her amusement when the master of ceremonies declared that the newlyweds were going to dance with their siblings and their parents. Bing was going to dance with Caroline and since he was the closest thing Jane had to a brother, Jane would dance with Darcy. Then Jane wold dance with Mr. B and Bing wold dance with his mom.

* * *

When Jane and Darcy were dancing, it wasn't as awkward as it was the other time.

"This is much better than last summer at Ricky's wedding is it not, Mrs. Lee?"

Jane laughed. "I have to get used to it. Jane  _Lee_.", she said smiling.

"And look, you fulfilled the prophecy. You caught the bouquet and now we're at  _your_  wedding.", he commented.

"Oh, yes! That's right! Such a shame Ricky couldn't make it. If I recall correctly, the only reason we danced together last time was because you also caught the garter."

Darcy chuckled. "Yes, you are correct. That is the second time now. The first time I had to dance with Lizzie. The next time, I'll probably have to dance with Lydia."

They both laughed.

"Well, that's only if you aren't married by the next wedding you attend…", Jane pointed out.

Darcy cleared his throat and said, "This song is longer than I anticipated."

Jane laughed. "I was just making an observation, Darcy. Don't freak out."

"The thought of marrying Lizzie doesn't 'freak me out', it's just that we are not ready yet. I very much look forward to becoming Lizzie's husband in the future. Especially after seeing her walk down the aisle today… You and I haven't spent much time together, Jane. I have always felt guilty about sabotaging your relationship with Bing and even after you forgave Caroline and me, I haven't gotten the chance to get to know you better since we now live on opposite sides of the country. But I would like to confide in you, brother to sister."

Jane nodded. She hadn't expected Darcy to get so deep.

Darcy's eyes glazed over as if he were in a distant place. "When your sister walked down the aisle before you, my heart skipped a beat after it had been beating rapidly in anticipation of seeing her. It felt as if time had slowed down in order to give me more time to watch her. I was absolutely mesmerized by her but more so by the idea of her walking down the aisle again, but not as a bridesmaid."

Jane's heart swelled and she whispered, "Oh my, Darcy that is beautiful. You should tell her that. Regardless of whether you two are ready to get married, I'm sure she would  _love_  to know that you're excited."

Darcy smiled. "I think I will let her know."

They didn't speak for the rest of the song but they were both smiling. Jane smiled because she was so happy; not only for herself, but for her little sister. She had always suspected Darcy had a thing for Lizzie, since the beginning, but to hear how he felt about Lizzie filled her with joy for her sister's future beside this man.

Darcy smiled because he was thinking about his family and the future. And it looked so bright.

When the dance was over, Darcy escorted Jane over to Mr. Bennet and when he returned to Lizzie she asked him what he and Jane were talking about.

"You two seemed really chatty. You aren't devising some crazy plan to run away with my sister, are you? I wouldn't blame you. She looked so angelic walking down the aisle earlier."

Darcy grabbed Lizzie's hand and kissed it. "Do not fret, my love. The only Bennet I would like to run away with is  _you_."

Lizzie smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"Does Francine still have our daughter?", he asked.

"Yup. She's been in Mom's arms all this time. How about you go get her?"

Darcy nodded and got up to request his baby girl back. He was successful in his quest but had to endure several minutes of conversation with some of Mrs. Bennet's family members.

The night was spent eating, dancing, and drinking with all of their families and friends. The only complaint of the party was that it had to end. Jane and Bing had to catch a flight for their honeymoon so they left a little earlier than everyone else.

* * *

When they got back to the Bennet house, Mr. and Mrs. B knocked out. Their roles as parents of the bride tired them out. Lydia was exhausted as well. She didn't get wasted like she would have a few years ago, but she was a little buzzed and she had woken up really early to get ready, so she was also very tired.

Lizzie and Darcy were tired as well but they had to get Isabella ready for bed before they could lay their heads down. Lizzie changed her diaper, Darcy put her in a little onesie that barely fit her anymore, Lizzie breastfed her, and then Darcy rocked her to sleep.

When Izzy was fast asleep, Lizzie and Darcy were finally able to get ready for bed. Lizzie removed her shoes and jewelry and asked Darcy to unzip her dress. Darcy removed his shoes and socks and loosened his tie.

"Can you  _believe_  that doesn't fit her? The tag says 6- _9 months_! She is going to be a big girl.", Lizzie commented.

"Well, she  _is_  a Darcy..."

Lizzie sighed. "True."

Lizzie was removing her make-up with a wipe, when her phone beeped. Before going to bed, Lydia had sent Lizzie a picture.

"Hey, babe, can you check my phone please?"

Darcy opened the message and said, "It is a picture message from your sister. I believe it is of your cousin Mary when she caught the bouquet."

Lizzie laughed loudly and then covered her mouth. She didn't want to disturb Izzy.

"Let me see!", she whispered excitedly as she ran over to Darcy.

He handed her the phone and Lizzie threw her head back in silent laughter. Darcy stared at her and laughed as well. She probably thought it was from the picture but he was laughing at Lizzie. In addition to her maniacal silent giggling, her hair was all disheveled, half her face still had make up, and her dress's upper half was hanging by her waist, as she'd only bothered to partially remove it. It was a sight to behold.

When Lizzie calmed down, she wiped tears from her eyes and put her phone down. She went back to her task of removing her makeup.

"That picture is gold. I'm framing that. Mary looks so shocked. The perfect example of a deer in headlights… Ya know, I half thought that you were gonna catch the garter  _again;_ not that guy. I think he was one of Bing's unwed uncles. Poor Mary. That guy was handsy. Her boyfriend did  _not_  look happy."

While Lizzie was having her fit, Darcy had finished stripping to his boxers and had already hopped into their not-so-comfortable air bed.

"Your sister and I kind of touched on that subject while we were dancing.", he mentioned.

"Really?", Lizzie asked interestedly as she finally removed the rest of her bridesmaids dress and put on her pajamas.

"Yes. We talked about how the last time we danced it was at Ricky's wedding and how she caught the bouquet and I the garter."

"Oh yeah! That's right. Too bad Ricky and Jamie couldn't make it."

"Yes. We spoke about that and then she said that maybe the next wedding I attend I won't be unmarried."

"Hmm. Did she try to pressure you? She's joined the club. She and mom and going to be harassing us, you just wait and see-"

"No, she didn't pressure me. I just told her we weren't ready… but that I look forward to it."

Lizzie smiled. "Oh, yeah?", she asked as she finished brushing out her hair and putting it in a messy bun on top of her head.

"Yes. Seeing you walk down the aisle felt like a trial run. It got me very excited for our future as husband and wife."

"Aww, Will!", she said exclaimed as she got into bed and cuddled up next to him. "Well I'll have you know that I was thinking the same thing."

Darcy pulled Lizzie closer to him and asked, "Really?"

Lizzie nodded. "I told Jane to look at Bing so she wouldn't get nervous with all the people staring at her and I did the same. Except I was looking at you… And I was kind of imagining that the bridal march playing was for me. I felt silly thinking that but now that I know that you kind of did it too, I don't feel like such a dork.", she confessed.

Darcy tilted Lizzie's chin up so that he could look at her properly. "I love you, Lizzie, dorkiness and all."

Lizzie smiled. She could never get tired of hearing him say that. They told each other they loved each other every day. In the mornings, at the end of phone conversations, and at night before bed, even if they had fought earlier. But sometimes, his words struck her more forcefully than usual. That night, cuddled with Darcy on an airbed in her old bedroom filled with all her mom's junk, and their seven month-old daughter sleeping in her playpen next to them after a very joyous day celebrating her older sister's marriage, his declaration of love knocked the air out of her. It gave her butterflies and left her speechless for a little while.

So she kissed him.

She grabbed his face and brought it down to hers and she kissed him with everything she had. Long, desperate kisses on his mouth broken up by little hungry kisses on his jaw and his neck. She kissed him until she couldn't breathe anymore.

"I love you, too, Will. So,  _so_  much. And we  _are_  going to get married. It's not a matter of  _if_. Just  _when_. And when the time is right, we'll know.", she declared as she stroked his hair.

"I know. But I'd like you to agree to one thing concerning our engagement.", he asked, his expression getting a little more serious.

"Anything.", Lizzie answered, bracing herself.

Darcy looked her in the eyes, his penetrating stare in full force. "Promise me that  _I'll_  get to do it. That  _I_  will get to propose to  _you_. Asking you to marry me and hearing you say yes will be one of the most satisfying things that can happen to me. All I ask is that you let  _me_  do it. We live in a time and place where it would be completely valid and acceptable if you were to propose to me but I really,  _really_ want to be the that asks."

"Okay. I can see you feel strongly about this, so I agree. It would have been cool to do it but go ahead. When you feel like we're ready, ask me. And I promise you I'll probably say yes.", she said with a smirk.

"I will take my chances.", he said, relieved.

"If you get to propose to me, then I get to propose to you. But  _later_. After like twenty years or something. I'm gonna ask you to marry me again. To renew our vows. Deal?"

"Deal.", he said with a chuckle. "I promise you I'll  _probably_  say yes."

"After twenty years with me,  _who knows_?", she said jokingly.

" _I_  know.", stated Darcy sincerely.

"I know.", she agreed.

One last kiss and Lizzie was cocooned in Darcy's arms. They went to sleep dreaming of the future.

* * *

 

**If you are reading this then that means you've read all 39 previous chapters and you waited for this and I really appreciate it! Thank you all for sticking around for so long and I hope you're enjoying the story. The LBD has been done for a while now (aside from those two bonus videos which if you weren't aware of, go watch them ASAP!) and I still love Lizzie and Darcy.**

**Until next time, everyone! Which will hopefully be sooner rather than later.**

***Cyberhugs***


	41. Elizabeth Bennet, Will You Marry Me?

**There was fast-forwarding. Last chapter was June 2014 for Jane's wedding but this one takes place in April 2015.**

**About 3.5K. Enjoy!**

* * *

Darcy was out to lunch with a potential investor and former colleague, when the man's cell phone rang and interrupted their conversation. He signaled that he had to take the call and walked away. When he returned, he explained that it was his wife.

"She gave birth a couple of weeks ago. Baby number three."

"Congratulations. I have a seventeen month-old daughter myself."

"Really? Is your wife pestering you for another one yet? That's how old our others were when she started wanting another one."

He was about to say that he wasn't married, but a switch flipped in his mind.

"Actually we're not married yet. We're engaged."

"Oh, really? I had no idea. Congratulations. How long have you been engaged? My wife and I waited a couple of years.

"Not very long. We just recently got engaged.", he said aloud.  _"A few moments ago actually…"_ , he thought to himself.

"Wow. I bet everyone is excited for you. I'm sure your employees have been congratulating you left and right in the hopes that you'll give them some time off to celebrate your marriage."

"Nobody knows yet. You are the first one I've told.", he said honestly.  _"Literally the first one. Not even Lizzie knows we are engaged. It will only be true if she says yes…"_

"I am honored. I won't tell a soul.", joked the man while zipping his lips and throwing away the key.

When they were done eating, Darcy walked his lunch guest to the parking lot. "Lunch was delicious, Darcy. Thank you. I look forward to doing business with you."

They shook hands and Darcy half-sprinted to his car so he could go home to retrieve his mother's ring. He'd always known he'd use that ring to propose to his future wife and now the moment had come. On the way there, he called Gigi.

* * *

"Hello?"

"I think I am going to do it, Georgiana.", he said nervously.

"Do what, William?", she asked, confused.

"I want to use Mother's ring to propose to Lizzie. Today."

"Whoa! Really?! How exciting! She's totally going to say yes!... Wait a minute… Why today?"

"Because I am tired of having to correct everyone when they ask me about my wife! I hate having to say that she is  _just_ my girlfriend. Girlfriend and boyfriend sound so… temporary. Lizzie and I are going to spend the rest of our lives together and I think we need a status that conveys that."

"I see… Well, Mom's ring is perfect. It's impressive without being overwhelming. I'm sure she'll love it."

"I hope so…"

"Good luck, big brother! Text me when you guys are engaged!"

"Bye, Gigi. Love you."

"Love you, too!"

He raced to the house, picked the ring out from his mother's jewelry box in his parent's bedroom, and got back in his car so he could drive to Lizzie.

* * *

She and Aaron were out interviewing people at a park that was kind of far. The whole drive there Darcy was contemplating whether or not he should do it. He wanted desperately to be able to call Lizzie his wife but he remembered that he was the one that said they should only get married when their lives became stable.

_"_ _We are stable enough, are we not? We_ _are_ _both doing well in our careers, Isabella is happy and healthy, and Lizzie and I still love each other. We have been dating for over two years now. I think it is time. Hopefully she agrees…"_

He parked and then he called Mr. Bennet.

"Darcy, what a pleasant surprise. How are you doing, son?"

"Mr. Bennet, I have called to ask your permission to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."

"Well I hardly think my approval will affect Lizzie's answer. She's the one you have to ask.", he teased. He knew Darcy was doing what is customary of a man, but he couldn't let the opportunity to bother him pass him by.

Darcy rolled his eyes. The Bennets were lovely people but sometimes they got on his last nerve. "Mr. Bennet-", he started seriously.

"Thomas, Darcy. Thomas. Why all the formality?", Mr. B interrupted.

"Because I want to marry Lizzie!", he declared passionately. "It wouldn't be right if I didn't ask you if I could."

"And if I say no?"

"What?"

"If I say I don't want you to marry my daughter will that stop you from asking her?"

"... No."

"Then you're not asking for my permission. You're letting me know."

Darcy sighed impatiently.

Mr. Bennet laughed. "Go ahead, my boy! I'm sure she'll agree. Francine and I would be honored to be your in-laws."

"Thank you, Thomas. I'll let you know how everything goes."

"I have a pretty good idea of how things will unfold. You will ask and pull out a ring. She'll say yes and cry and you kids will kiss and everyone lives happily ever after."

"That is the plan."

"Well afterwards no need to call me. Just call the house so my wife will pick up. I have to prepare myself for the aftermath."

At the end of their conversation, Darcy sat in the car for another minute and took a deep breath before exiting.

He fumbled with the ring while he searched for his beloved.

 _"_ _Over there by the fountain…",_  he thought as he spotted Lizzie's auburn hair shining in the sun and Izzy's stroller right beside her. Aaron was standing nearby, too. He was recording.

As he approached, he saw that Lizzie was talking to somebody.  _"She is working. Maybe I should wait until she's done…"_

He watched from afar as she finished interviewing the person and shook their hand.  _"That's my cue…"_

Darcy dashed over to Lizzie and was behind her before Aaron had a chance to alert her. Lizzie was talking to the camera, making little notes for herself for when she had to do a costume-theater version of the story, when Darcy kneeled down to give Isabella a kiss on the cheek.

"Da-da!", she said excitedly, her blue-green eyes lighting up at the sight of her father. She had been busy playing with some toy that was attached to her stroller and she went right back to it when Darcy turned his back to her.

"Whoa!  _Will?!_  What are  _you_  doing here?", Lizzie asked full of surprise.

He grabbed her face and kissed her passionately. She was confused at first but very quickly kissed back with equal vigor. Her hands ran through his hair and his hands left her face to pull her closer to him.

They kissed until neither had any breath in them and when their lips parted, Darcy tilted her chin up so that he gaze into her eyes.

"I love you."

She giggled. "I know… I love you, too…", she replied in earnest but still with some confusion. She knew he was a private person and he would rather wait until they were alone or in a secluded area to make out with her, so she was taken aback by his PDA.

He grabbed both her hands with both of his and started his speech.

"I know you do. And I feel honored that you chose me to share your life with. You are an amazing woman and I am sure you could've picked any man and he would've fallen head over heels for you like I did."

"Well, you kind of knocked me up. So I'm stuck with you…", she joked.

"I am serious, my love… I know we haven't properly discussed it in a while, but Lizzie, I want to marry you. It pains me to have to say that you are my girlfriend and I cringe whenever I hear you call me your boyfriend. We are so much more than that. Those titles do no justice to how we feel about each other... I do not think our love can be properly labeled, but the titles that even begin to come close to what we feel about each other are husband and wife. So…"

He got down on knee. He took the ring out of his pocket and held it up in front of her.

"...I would love to be your husband… but that can only happen if you do me the honor of becoming my wife… Elizabeth Bennet, will you marry me?"

Lizzie's mouth was open in awe and her eyes were watery from his words. She was choked up and couldn't say a word. The woman with a communications degree who made her living off of talking to a camera was speechless.

"Lizzie?"

She nodded yes very slowly and stuck out her left hand so he could place the ring on her finger. As the ring slid up to its new home, tears started falling from Lizzie's eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I will do you the honor of marrying you, William Darcy.", she said as she sniffled and wiped the tears away.

Darcy got up and hugged her as tight as he could. He lifted her off the ground and spun her around.

"You, Ms. Bennet, have made me the happiest man in the world.", he admitted before sitting down with Lizzie on the edge of the fountain. He felt immense relief and his heart felt like it was about to burst with joy.

"Well, I don't think I could've said no in front our audience. How embarrassing it would be to have to tell Izzy that I turned you down in front of her when she was a baby!"

"Not as embarrassing as it will be when she watches the video of the first time you rejected me."

They both laughed. "But wow, Will, I am truly surprised. I didn't wake up today expecting to get engaged. Marriage hasn't crossed my mind in months. I guess I got comfortable with the way we were."

"I didn't wake up today knowing I would ask you either. I was at a business lunch and the man started talking about his wife and he asked about my wife and I just decided right there that you weren't going to be my girlfriend anymore. I just knew we were ready to do this. So I told him you were my fiancée."

"How presumptuous of you, Mr. Darcy. How did you know I'd say yes?", she asked. For a very brief moment, Lizzie was taken back to his first declaration of love. He had also assumed then that she'd respond positively to him. But this time around everything was different and he had every reason to believe she'd say yes. She was brought to the present when he started answering her question.

"Well, for one, it would have been really awkward to sleep in the same bed tonight. And we've had enough awkwardness in our relationship to last us multiple lifetimes, so you would've wanted to avoid that."

She laughed. "Touché."

"And two, we are doing well. We said we'd get married when everything was stable in our lives and now is the perfect time. You are working at something you love and you are making money doing it. Our daughter is healthy and she can walk on her own and talk a little so we can even involve her in the wedding. I think we should do this now before some other obstacle arises."

"You are absolutely right, babe.", she declared. "Let's get married soon. Before the summer is over."

"That sounds great. It will give Miss Woodhouse ample time to plan a wedding."

"You remembered I wanted her to plan it for us? Wow, Will, you've got a great memory."

"Nothing you say is unimportant, my love."

Aaron cleared his throat. He had recorded the whole thing.

"Oh! I'm sorry Aaron! I got kind of distracted."

"Yeah, getting engaged will do that to you.", he joked. "Congratulations, Elizabeth. Darcy. So I guess we're done for the day?"

"Oh! Yes. You can have the rest of the day off. Tell the guys at the office, too."

"Okay, lovebirds."

Lizzie rolled her eyes at him and she and Darcy waved goodbye.

"Okay. So first order of business: let's tell everyone. I'll call my parents, my sisters, and Charlotte. My mom will tell  _everyone_. You call Aunt Catherine and Gigi and Fitz. Jane will tell Bing. Bing will tell his parents. Aaron will tell Caroline. Is that everyone? I'd like to tell our people before we tell the internet."

"Yes. Everyone that is important to us will know within a couple of hours. You can tell the internet tonight after we go out for dinner. My two lovely ladies and I are going out to celebrate our engagement."

* * *

After coming home from the restaurant, Lizzie and Darcy kicked off their shoes in the living room. Isabella sat smashing a toy on the floor so that it would keep lighting up while her parents watched television.

Lizzie snuggled up close to Darcy and stared at her ring. She and Darcy spoke with Emma earlier and they set the wedding date for a Saturday afternoon in July. They wanted to get married right there in San Francisco, so everyone would have to come to _them_. They gave Emma some general ideas and she said she'd get back to them with some options.

Isabella got really cranky and they realized it was past her bed time. Together they got their baby girl ready for bed. As soon as she was in her pajamas, Isabella knocked out.

Lizzie and Darcy both shared a moment of disbelief. They had been parents for almost a year and a half but they still were amazed at their beautiful daughter and how she came to be.

 _"_ _I'm glad Will proposed. It's best that we get marriage out of the way now before other things get in the way…"_ , Lizzie thought.

Izzy was still small but she was becoming more independent. Lizzie missed the way she used to fit in her arms. She was going to talk to Darcy about removing her birth control. She definitely wanted another baby.

They left the nursery and headed to their bedroom. Lizzie hadn't stopped playing with her ring since her new fiancé had slipped it on her finger.

"Your mother would've been okay with you giving me her ring?"

"Of course. It belonged to my father's mother and she gave it to him so he could propose to my mother. I'm sure she would've given it to me to propose to you. It is a Darcy family tradition."

"Thank you. It's beautiful.", she commented.

Darcy smiled at her and said, "Well, the phone calls have stopped. I assume that all of our family and friends have received the news."

"Yup. Time to share it with the rest of the world."

"How are you going to do it?"

"A picture is worth a thousand words, babe."

She retrieved her cell phone and told him to take a picture of them.

"Come on. Let's do it while we still look good. I'm dying to wash the make-up off my face."

Lizzie leaned into Darcy and put her ring-hand on his chest so it'd be visible in the picture. They smiled genuine 'We just got engaged' smiles.

"Do you like this picture?", she asked him.

He nodded yes and started fixing up the bed for them.

Lizzie posted the picture to Twitter with no caption since it was pretty obvious with the ring and all.

Darcy immediately retweeted it and turned off his notifications. Lizzie did the same thing. Whenever they uploaded a vlog or posted big news, they always turned their notifications off because so many people would tweet them.

Lizzie and Darcy changed into their pajamas and did their whole bedtime routine before settling in for the night.

"You know, Lizzie, when we agreed that I would be the one to propose, I had always imagined proposing at night with our families present and maybe violins playing in the background or something romantic. Something planned and with a lot of thought and effort put into it. But I could not wait any longer. I hope you can forgive me for such a spontaneous proposal."

"There is nothing to forgive. It was heartfelt and unexpected and I wouldn't have traded it for any other way.", she reassured him.

"I will make up for it with our honeymoon.", he added.

"I had completely forgotten about that! What are we gonna do? Are we taking Izzy with us? Where are we going?", Lizzie asked question after question as she twirled the ring around again.

"All very appropriate questions but you will receive no response for them tonight. We've never taken an actual vacation since we began our relationship. With the pregnancy and work we haven't had the time to escape. But now we will. Our honeymoon will be our first official vacation and I will plan it. It will be a surprise. You can be in charge of our next vacation."

"Deal. But can I at least have a clue?"

"Fine. You get one: Get a passport.", he replied coyly.

"So basically we could be going anywhere in the world that is not in the United States. That  _really_ narrows it down."

Darcy shrugged while trying to suppress a smile.

Lizzie smiled and rolled over to kiss him. Darcy welcomed her mouth on his and pulled her to him. Lizzie straddled Darcy and when it was clear that they were going to go beyond kissing, Lizzie reached over to side table and turned on the lamp.

She took off her top and went back to Darcy's lips. His hands felt their way up from her bottom to her breasts and back down to her waist so that he could flip them over.

He removed her underwear and shorts in one smooth move and did the same for himself.

He was on top of her and ready to go but before he entered her he admired her swollen lips and excited eyes.

"I want to have another baby.", Lizzie blurted out under his still-penetrating stare. That had been at the back of her mind for a couple of months now and with their engagement, she thought it'd be a good idea to put the idea out there.

He tilted his head a little in confusion but then answered, "Okay."

He wanted more children too but he wasn't sure why she was bringing it up at this particular moment.

"Okay? That's it?", she asked.

"Yes, okay. I want more kids. A total of five, remember? We can make that our goal on our honeymoon.", he said before kissing her neck. "But  _right now_  we can perfect our technique."

Lizzie laughed. "For a man that used to have a hard time expressing himself, you sure do have a way with words."

"Yes.", he said kissing her again and nuzzling her neck with his nose. "Does that sound like a plan?"

"Mmhmm.", she answered, distracted by his touch. She pulled Darcy down to her and they proceeded to express their excitement about their engagement.

* * *

The next morning when Lizzie and Izzy arrived at the office, Aaron and the few other employees Lizzie had working for her were waiting for her.

"Morning, guys. What's up?", she asked, setting Izzy in her playpen.

"We wanted to show you this.", they said and then congratulated her before they left the room.

"Hmm?", she wondered as she walked to her computer.

She clicked play on a video and teared up. It was Darcy's proposal. She had completely forgotten that Aaron had been recording her when Darcy showed up.

She emailed it to Darcy with a short " _I love you, future hubby._ " and decided that she was going to keep that video to herself. That was a very intimate moment and she felt it would lose some of its value if she shared it with the internet.

* * *

**So there you go, guys. Lizzie and Darcy are getting married next chapter. And then an epilogue. Neither of which are written lol. You all must hate me and my inconsistency! When I started this fic, I had no idea where I was going with it and that it would take me so long! But here we are.**

**Thank you so much for reading! I know there are some stories that I follow that I wait months for new chapters so I know how it feels to wait and I'm sorry!**

**But it feels nice to know that the end is near. Writing this has been a learning experience.**

**Stay tuned for the Darcy-Bennet wedding. Will Lizzie take Darcy's last name or will she do both their names, or will she keep her own for her business career? What do you guys think Lizzie would do? I ask because I wanted to include that conversation in the next chapter. Any suggestions would be welcome, really.**

**Thanks again!**

***Cyber hugs***


	42. You May Kiss the Bride

**Lizzie and Darcy get married... _finally_. Lol.**

 

**Here's a link to some visuals. http://nanie93.tumblr.com/post/105020835078/lb-up**

* * *

Emma Woodhouse had gotten back to Lizzie and Darcy with some ideas about their wedding and reception. The couple picked their favorite one and amended the plan until it was to their exact specifications. She met with them in-person in their home to go over the final details and also to do some pre-marital coaching.

"If you didn't already know, I don't cover only the wedding planning and all the minor details. I also am a matchmaker and lifestyle coach. I have a lot of successful experiences and I highly suggest my couples sit down with me for a pre-marital advisory session. It comes with my services at no extra cost."

"What do you say, Will?"

"Whatever you want to do, my love."

"I say we go for it?"

"Perfect! We can do it right now or we can schedule another time.", said Emma.

"No, no. Let's do it now. Or just give me twenty minutes to get the baby to sleep and we can get started.", Lizzie interjected, noticing Isabella rubbing her eyes- a telltale sign that she is due for a nap.

When the baby was asleep, the couple and Emma reconvened in the living room and they started their conversation.

"I'm going to jump right in: Why do you want to get married? Why now? Why not just continue living together like you've been?"

Darcy immediately answered without even thinking. "Well for one, marriage is the ultimate commitment. There's saying that you love each other and then there's actually doing something to show yourselves and the rest of the world that you mean it. And the government. There are all kinds of legal rights that come with marriage.", and then he went on to explain how they're finally ready.

"Okay. Great answer. Let' s get the elephant in the room  _out_  of the room.  _Money._  Have you two discussed finances and who is going to pay for what? Are you spenders or savers? Etc?"

Lizzie took this one. "We've discussed finances plenty of times. When I agreed to move in with him I was recently graduated and didn't have much to my name. I didn't want to feel like he was maintaining me or like I was using him. But now, I make way more than I ever thought I would so soon after graduating. We have separate accounts and a joint account as well, where the bills are paid from. He obviously makes  _way_  more than I do, but we contribute equal percentages. I am also more open to gifts and such now that I have the money to afford them myself and give him equally expensive gifts. That was one of the things we used to fight about in the beginning, but not so much anymore.", Lizzie answered with a smile.

Darcy squeezed her hand in agreement. They continued their session and Emma stated that they were great together. Everything isn't perfect and they don't agree about everything, but on the important things they are on the same wavelength.

Emma said her goodbyes and Lizzie and Darcy walked her out. They felt even more secure and certain about their engagement than ever. Love can't solve all problems. Luckily for them, they were two reasonable, intelligent people who weren't  _too_  different despite their backgrounds.

* * *

The big day neared and both Lizzie and Darcy were feeling anxious. The formality and the weight of it all had them worked up. Their wedding was Saturday, July 11 and their families started arriving on Wednesday. All had arrived by Friday night for a rehearsal dinner of the reception. They all stayed at the Darcy estate because it's only on occasions like weddings or other big events that they're all under one roof and they wanted to enjoy everyone's company before the newlyweds went on their three-week honeymoon. Aunt Catherine came down, the Bennets flew in, Gigi flew in along with her super serious boyfriend Sydney, the Lees flew from New York, Caroline came down from L.A., and Charlotte and her fiancé Carlos flew in too.

Early in the morning, the day of the wedding, the members of the wedding party were all getting their make-up and hair professionally done by Emma's favorite glam squad. Although the only bridesmaids were Jane, Lydia, Gigi, and Charlotte, the mother of the bride, Aunt Catherine, and Caroline were all invited to get dolled up with Lizzie. (As if Mrs. Bennet would ever let herself be excluded).

Lizzie and Darcy chose not to adhere to Mrs. Bennet's demands of separation before the wedding. They went right on living like they normally would, with the exception of sleeping with Isabella every night that week. They were going to be without her for a really long time, which was a first for them.

Darcy had set his alarm and woke up before it even went off because he was so excited. He was going to wake up Lizzie right away, but he decided to give her a few more minutes of peace and rest before he did. Also, he couldn't muster up the urge to ruin the tranquil image before him. Their little toddler was curled up into Lizzie's chest and Lizzie hugged her close. He snapped a quick picture on his phone before going to the bathroom to brush his teeth and use the toilet.

It broke his heart to disturb her, but if she didn't wake up now, she'd be behind schedule on their very busy day. Lizzie needed to be showered and ready for hair and make-up by the time Emma's glam squad arrived.

"Lizzie? Wake up, my darling.", he whispered to her after leaving the bathroom. She stirred a little and he rubbed her shoulders.

"Come on, Lizzie, wake up. Don't you want to get married today?", he asked.

She smiled and then opened her eyes and whispered, "Of course."

After hair and make-up were done, everyone dressed up and started making their way downstairs. The guys were all ready and awaited the parade of beautiful women to descend the stairs.

Lizzie and Darcy texted each other to meet up before leaving the house. Darcy stood in their bedroom in the dark. He and Lizzie had seen each other's outfits and everything beforehand but they didn't want to spoil the surprise of seeing them on. And not because of some stupid tradition Mrs. Bennet tried to shove down their throats, but because they wanted to.

Darcy had his back towards the door when Lizzie walked in. She quickly shut the door so the room would be dark again.

"Babe?", she asked.

"I'm by the bed.", he answered.

She walked slowly with her hands out and stopped when she felt him. His back was still turned to her and she hugged him tightly from behind.

"You ready to do this?", she inquired.

"I've never been more prepared for anything in my life.", he answered honestly and he turned around. He hugged her close and she lightly pressed her face on his chest to avoid ruining her makeup.

"Where's our daughter?", she asked.

"My aunt has her. Have you seen her yet? She looks adorable."

"I bet she does."

"Do you feel silly standing here in the dark? Because I do.", he admitted.

"I do, too. But this is the only way we could be together without spoiling what we look like. I really can't wait to see how handsome you look."

"Let me assure you, I look quite dapper."

Lizzie laughed and he could feel her laughter on his chest. They shared a moment of silence; of mutual happiness and peace.

"Let's get married, Bennet."

"After you, Darcy."

He turned to leave and he had gotten a few strides in when Lizzie pulled his arm. He stopped and turned around, for he knew what she wanted. He wanted it to.

He held her face gently and she rested her hands softly on his chest and they kissed. It was deep and fiery yet tender and sweet at the same time. It was the  _'I love you'_ they were saving for their vows.

Darcy broke the kiss suddenly and walked away quickly. He shut the door behind him and shook his head to get the feeling of Lizzie's lips out of his head.

Lizzie sighed longingly and waited a minute before leaving the room to join the others. The glam squad fixed her make-up up on the way to the park.

* * *

When they got to the park, it was empty. That was because Emma rented out the whole park for their short ceremony. Lizzie and Darcy were going to be wed in the exact location that they had gotten engaged. They had chairs and tents set up in the grass for the select few that were going to witness the actual union, and they had a wedding arch set up in front of the fountain; all of which were adorned with beautiful arrangements of flowers in all shades of violet and white. That was their color scheme of choice: different shades of purple.

It was a very serene scene. The only sound was the gargling of the fountain and the chirping of birds until the guy Emma hired to play some tunes on a keyboard started filling in the silence.

The guests consisted of their families and close friends. It was very private. All the other guests would be attending the reception later that day.

Everyone was sitting and waiting when Darcy and his groomsmen walked down the aisle and took their places. He had on a three-piece suit with lavender accents and a silky lavender bowtie. His men all had same colors but they donned regular ties. Darcy stood there with his chin tucked in, looking a little pale until the musician started playing the bridal march.

He held his breath. He watched Gigi, Lydia, Charlotte, and Jane walk down the aisle before he finally exhaled. He had no choice because he had to laugh. Isabella ran down the aisle in a beautiful little lilac dress and a flowered crown atop her dark waves, throwing flower petals from a tiny basket. She was doing it all wrong but it was perfect to him. The ladies all wore different dresses but all were in keeping with the color scheme.

When she got to the end of the aisle she said, "Daddy!", and raised her arms for him to lift her up. He picked up her and said, "Good job, Isabella! Kisses!", and she smooched him on the cheek. Everyone smiled and laughed at the interaction but they were used to it. Fatherhood had brought out a side of Darcy nobody had imagined was possible.

Then came Lizzie's turn. She stepped onto the carpet and slowly walked towards the man that she was going to spend the rest of her life with. She wore a beautiful pastel purple-colored strapless dress belted at the waist, which was designed by Jane. Her hair was done in an elaborate half-up, half-down style with braids and waves and flowers. She looked like a beautiful fairy to Darcy.

She was nervous before she made her appearance but that feeling disappeared and was replaced by joy. She saw Darcy carrying their baby girl and grinning at her and then wondered why she was nervous. Those two were the things that made her happiest and this union wasn't going to do anything to disrupt that. It was going to strengthen their little family.

"Mommy!", Isabella yelled when Lizzie was half-way to Darcy.

Lizzie laughed and said "Hey, pretty girl!", and waved at her. It was then that Lizzie felt a teardrop by her nose. She had been crying without noticing. She quickly wiped it and gave Izzy a kiss when she arrived at the end of the aisle.

Darcy handed Izzy over to Mrs. Bennet, who was sitting in the front row of chairs, right by the aisle.

Then he turned to Lizzie and grabbed her hand. Lizzie smiled and then with her free hand she tenderly wiped a tear from the corner of Darcy's eye.

"There we go. Now we're both tear-free.", she said still smiling.

He had so many things that he wanted to say but couldn't. That she looked stunning; that he loved her; that he was so happy he could die.

She hid very similar thoughts behind her grin.

They were going to be married by a Justice of the Peace that Emma recommended. They wanted to keep things neutral considering that they weren't the most religious couple.

When it came time to say their vows, Lizzie and Darcy had each written their own.

Lizzie cleared her throat, looked Darcy in the eyes, and began her speech.

"William Darcy, I love you.", she said with a big smile which made him smile too. "It's so strange to me that I can say that now. Three years ago I couldn't even fathom you and I having an actual conversation, much less getting married! But here we are… and I'm so glad. I can't imagine not having you by my side. We've been through  _so much_  together and what we've overcome has helped us to become closer and appreciate one another even more. I wouldn't change  _any_  of it; especially not our baby girl. I have no regrets when it comes to you, babe… I am looking forward to our future together; to growing with you and learning with you and experiencing life with you; to all the hugs, kisses, caresses, and words of love and encouragement that I'm going to get to shower you with for the rest of our lives… The ring that I'm itching to place on your finger is just a small symbol of our love because what we feel can't be expressed. The ring is mainly to show the rest of the world that you are taken; that you are  _mine_  and I am  _yours_   _forever_."

Darcy wiped tears away from Lizzie's eyes and mouthed, "Forever.", and then the JP announced it was his turn to say what was in his heart. Darcy straightened up to his full height and spoke with conviction.

"I do not think you can completely understand how ecstatic I am to be standing here. I know you love me. You do not have to utter those words for me to feel it, but oh how I do love to hear you say them.", he said with a chuckle.

Lizzie laughed and mouthed, "I love you!"

"I have loved you longer than you have loved me and if I could go back and tell past-Darcy that his dreams were nothing in comparison to what was actually going to happen in the future, I wouldn't have believed myself. It is extremely gratifying to be marrying you today, to say the least. I still pinch myself sometimes in order to confirm that our journey together hasn't just been a blissfully long dream…", and Lizzie could see the relief in his eyes.

He continued, "Elizabeth Bennet, you have turned my world upside down and inside out and I thank you for it. You've given me so much joy and love and support in the few years we've been together than I had experienced in almost my whole life. You've given me the wondrous experience that is Fatherhood, and you're about to give me the role that I've been looking forward to most since I met you: the role of being your husband. I love you so,  _so_  much Lizzie and I promise you I will never let you forget it."

Mrs. Bennet was sobbing. Her heart was swollen with emotion. There she was sitting with her grandbaby on her lap at the wedding of her middle daughter who she'd always assumed would end up in the worst situation. She turned out to have exactly what her mother prayed for so much over the years: She found a rich man who was also a good man and he loved her  _and_  as a bonus, she got a grandbaby out of her much sooner than expected. She loved Jane and Lydia, but she always feared most for Lizzie and now those fears were dissipated.

Mr. Bennet looked on with pride. He was happy for his favorite daughter. She lucked out and Darcy hit the jackpot. He knew they were going to be happy together. Aunt Catherine's thoughts were similar to Mr. B's. Although Lizzie may not have been her first pick, she knew that no other woman would make Darcy feel the way he did.

After placing the rings on each other's fingers and the I do's, the JP pronounced Lizzie and Darcy husband and wife and the audience exploded. There was applause and hooting and hollering.

"You may kiss the bride.", the JP declared over the din, and Lizzie and Darcy shared their first kiss as newlyweds.

Isabella started clapping and giggling. She absolutely loved it when her parents kissed.

"Come here, Izzy!", Lizzie said with her arms wide open. Isabella hopped out of her grandmother's grasp and into her mother's arms. She and Izzy went back to Darcy and the three of them stood there looking every bit like the happy family that they were.

After several congratulations, Emma announced that it was time for photoshoots. Lizzie and Darcy were going to take pictures with their wedding party and each other. They went all around the closed park and got some amazing shots.

The reception was going to be held in one of the most exclusive hotel ballrooms in San Francisco. It was decorated with the flamboyance that their wedding ceremony lacked. The majority of the guests were business relations that Lizzie and Darcy had invited as well distant friends and relatives.

They all danced and drank and ate and had an amazing time before Lizzie and Darcy had to go. They had a flight to catch for their honeymoon.

* * *

Lizzie and Darcy said their goodbyes to their families and they both were heart-broken in their goodbyes to little Isabella. On the way home to get ready for their flight, Lizzie and Darcy both expressed how much they already missed her. Then Lizzie changed the topic.

"So… you still haven't told me where we're going. I've had my passport for weeks now and you have yet to give me any other clues.", she said poking his chest.

He laughed.

"Are you laughing at your wife, Mr. Darcy?"

"Why yes I am, Mrs. Dar-. Wait.  _Are_  you Mrs. Darcy?"

"I am to  _you_."

"So you've decided against taking my last name?", he asked a little disappointed, although he knew that was a possibility.

"I haven't decided yet. I am still Elizabeth Bennet for our honeymoon. When we get back and we get our marriage certificate, then I can make changes. I still don't know. But to you and anybody else who asks, I am Mrs. Darcy."

"Alright, Mrs. Darcy, I will give you one hint."

"Do tell."

"Our destination is in the eastern hemisphere."

"You're so specific, Will."

"I will give more hints as the time for our departure nears. And no random guessing."

Lizzie rolled her eyes. He was enjoying this.

When they arrived at home, they headed upstairs to change and finalize their packing.

"How am I supposed to know what to take if I don't know where I'm going, babe?"

"Take a little of everything.", he said. He had already packed his bag. Lizzie combed through his things a few days ago but was stumped because he had all types of clothing and toiletries in his stuff. He did it on purpose to keep her guessing.

When they arrived at the airport, Lizzie still had no clue where they were going. Darcy's clues were unhelpful, purposely so, in her opinion.

They got in line to check in and finally Lizzie found out where they were going. They were going to spend some time in Italy, then France, then Spain, and they were going to end their vacation in England.

Darcy had been to all these places before but he had never really enjoyed his time there because he'd been there for business. Now, he gets to experience these cultures for the first time with his wife.

Their flight was a long one and they actually managed to sleep through most of it. Darcy had international calling on his cell phone, so when they arrived safely in their hotel, they called to notify their families and speak with their daughter.

They were still weary from traveling and went to sleep immediately. But when they awoke, they remembered where they were and why they were there.

"Good morning, my love."

"Good morning, babe."

"How are you liking our honeymoon so far?"

"I'm here with you, aren't I? I love it.", she answered and gave him a quick kiss.

"There's something wrong though."

"What?", she asked. He motioned for her to come closer so he could whisper to her as if his reply were a secret.

"I have yet to make love to my wife.", he confessed.

Lizzie laughed. "Really? What a shame. Come to think of it, I haven't made love to my husband yet either."

"What a predicament.", he said leaning over to kiss her.

"Mmhmm…", she replied.

They made love in Italy, France, Spain, and England. Their whole trip was full of pleasure and fun and food and amazing company. They experienced many firsts together, including tattoos. It was out of character for the both of them, but they decided to get matching tattoos of their wedding date. They both got the tattoo in a place that nobody but them would able to see it: on their hips. The tattoos would be hidden by their underwear or bathing suits and could only be seen if their clothing was pulled down. They are only ones pulling down their clothes, so their secret was safe.

After three weeks of spending time with just each other- a luxury they hadn't had since before Isabella was born almost two years ago- they finally had to go back home. The newlyweds were going to miss their honeymoon, but they had plenty of pictures and videos and memories to reminisce with. And they were also looking forward to seeing their baby girl and getting back to work.

* * *

About a month after returning to their lives, Lizzie stopped by with Isabella to have lunch with Darcy in his office. She said she had some good news to share with him.

They ate at his desk, with her sitting across from them and Isabella on the floor. When they were done, Lizzie came around to Darcy and sat on his lap.

"So I came here not only to have lunch with my amazing husband-", she said and she pinched his cheeks a little. "-but also to share some good news."

Her purse sat on the desk and she leaned forward and took out her wallet.

She handed him her license and several other forms of identification and waited for him to read her name.

"Elizabeth Bennet  _Darcy_?", he asked.

"Now I'm Mrs. Darcy to everyone else as well. I decided to keep my last name but I wanted yours as well. I didn't want to hyphenate it because then it'd be too long. So I made my last name my middle name. I am Elizabeth Darcy, but I can also be Elizabeth Bennet.", Lizzie explained with a smile.

Darcy was touched. "You didn't have to, my love."

"I wanted to. I like it. Elizabeth Darcy. It sounds great. And now the four of us will have the same last name."

"Four?"

"That brings me to the other part of my good news. So remember how we talked about trying for another baby on our honeymoon? Well, you and I are very fertile because I'm pregnant again, babe!"

"What?! Lizzie! Are you serious?!" he exclaimed and he hugged her tightly.

She giggled and said, "Yes. I don't know how far along I am yet, as I just found out yesterday-", she said pulling out a pregnancy test out of her purse. "-but I wanted to tell you as soon as possible."

"Let's go find out right now.", he urged.

"But don't you have that thing later?"

"I can still make it if we leave now. And even if I don't make it back on time, it does not matter. You are  _pregnant_! We're going to have another baby! I can't believe it.", he declared, the excitement unmistakable in his voice.

Lizzie was approximately six weeks pregnant, which means that the new baby was conceived within the first week of their honeymoon.

While they were driving back to Pemberley Digital, Lizzie and Darcy wondered about whether it was going to be another girl or their first boy.

"You know, we have had two very interesting conceptions. Isabella was unexpected and this little one was conceived in  _Italy_.", she said rubbing her lower belly.

"I think I can recall the exact moment.", Darcy joked.

Lizzie gasped and hit him playfully on the arm. "Will!", and she giggled because she now that he mentioned it, she thought she could too.

* * *

**This is the last chapter. The next chapter is an epilogue of where they are a few years into the future. Don't know when that's gonna get posted though.**

**But anyways, thanks for reading. It's been a long journey. I've enjoyed writing this story a lot and I've learned a lot. Much respect to writers out there. It's not easy getting something that you envision into words.**

**I really appreciate all the suggestions and kind words I've received from readers with this story.**

**~Cyberhugs** ~


End file.
